Vepers 


•  n  . 

/  JD  ’ 


A  Visit  to  the 

Leper-Asylum 
at  Chandkuri,  India 


OSCAR  NUSSMANN 


Historical  Series  No.  5 


1922 


The  Board  of  Foreign  Missions 


OF  THE 


Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America 

(  INCORPORATED ) 


2951  Tilden  Street 


Washington,  D.  C. 


Eddn  Publishing  Hous*  Print,  St  Louis,  Mo. 


A  Visit  to  the  Leper  Asylum  at  Chandkuri 


OSCAR  NUSSMANN 


Introduction 


()n(>  (lay  an  Kiiylisli  otlfic'ial,  who  had  r(^t'eiitly  l)(“(.“ii  tianslVrred 
to  I’urulia  and  was  just  returnini>-  rroin  a  inorniny’s  gallop,  paid 
a  visit  to  tiu*  now  sainted  tnissionarv,  Itev.  Mi'.  I'tt'inaiin.  ACtc'r  hc'- 
ing  seated  on  the  veranda  of  tlie  mission  hiingalow,  tlie  otticer  said: 
•‘ddiis  morning  1  have  had  an  unnsual  ('xpm'ienee.  I  thought  1  had 
explored  (O'erv  nook  and  corner  of  this  neiyhlandiood.  (inding  noth¬ 
ing  unusual — only  hills,  ponds,  rice-tields  and  vilhi'ic's.  Mspi'cially 


Center  View  of  Claire  Leper  Asylum 


the  villages  seemed  to  he  nioiiolonously  similar  in  appearance.  You 
know  yourself  their  general  ap[)(‘arance — a  cluster  of  small  huts  of 
clay  with  roofs  inadt*  of  sti'aw,  no  windows,  and  only  an  opening 
for  a  door,  narrow,  ci’owdc'd  passages  for  streets,  crowded  hv  dir1^■ 
goats  and  naked  children.  Hut  this  morning  1  (-ame  to  a  \'illagc 
which  was  totally  dilfei’cnt.  From  a  distance  it  seemed  to  he  a  set¬ 
tlement  for  Fur()j)eans.  1  saw  a  good  numlxM’  of  well-built  white¬ 
washed  buildings,  shaded  by  well-ku'pt  tix'es.  'I'he  center  of  the  vil¬ 
lage  was  marked  hv  a  fiiu*  church.  But  when  I  canu'  ncarc'r  and 
passed  thru  the  regular  wide  sti-(>('ts,  I  was  astonished  not  to  tind  a 
single  Fmrop('an.  All  the  people  1  met  there  were  natives,  and  all 


1 


wei'e  U('il  (Iressc'd,  no  naked  cliildivn  anywhere  in  sioht.  1  have 
l)een  in  India  for  a  number  of  years  hut  have  never  seen  anvthinir' 
like  this.  Can  you  tell  me  what  kind  of  a  settlement  that  is?” 

“Yes,  I  believe  I  can  tell  you  that,"  said  the  missionary.  “I 
suppose  tlie  village  you  saw  lies  a  short  distance  west  from  here. 
Well,  that  is  our  leper  asylum,  ddie  people  living  thei'e  are  all 
le])ers  and  because  most  of  them  have  become  (diristians,  a  church 
has  been  built  for  them.’’  AFodesty  forbade  the  missionary  to  add 
that  he  himself  was  the  foumk'r,  builder,  and  superintendent  of 
this  model  institution. 

Had  the  visitor  been  a  man  of  another  nature,  he  mioht.  after 
such  an  exjjlanation,  have  experienced  the  feeling  that  canu'  j.o  the 
rider,  who  unwittingly  crossed  a  river  frozen  oven-  with  ice.  After 
the  danger  was  safely  passed  he  became  sick  with  fright.  Many 
people  ar('  deathly  afraid  of  infectious  diseases,  especially  of  lep- 
I’o.sy.  wealthy  traveller  once  paid  a  visit  to  a  mi.ssion  in  India, 
and  was  very  anxious  to  be  shown  all  the  sights.  No  one,  however, 
_  could  prevail  uixni  him  to  enter  a  leper  asylum.  Wdien  he  did 
have  to  pass  near  to  one,  he  first  took  note  of  the  direction  of  the 
wind  and  tlum  passed  on  the  side  that  seemed  safer.  Others  show 
more  fear.  'The  superintendent  of  one  le])cr  asylum  was  informed 
that  certain  ladies  with  whom  he  had  coi’respomlence  would  not 
louch  his  letters  with  their  lingers,  but  used  pinc(‘rs;  while  another 
superintendent  noticed  that  while  he  was  on  furlough  in  the  home¬ 
land  many  people  anxiously  kept  at  a  safe  distance. — AYell,  this 
lingiish  ollicial  did  not  express  any  fear,  but  he  expressed  .<ome- 
ihing  b(‘tter.  r(‘sp(‘ct  for  that  which  is  |)ossibl(‘  b(>cause  (d‘  the  love 
of  ('hrist. 

.\nd  that,  dear  reader,  is  also  the  aim  of  Ibis  booklet,  namely 
by  tracing  the  beginning  and  development  of  oui’  own  leper  asylum 
at  Chandkuri  to  show  the  wondrous  power  of  (dirist’s  love.  May 
this  story  also  awaken  some  fear  in  oui’  hearts,  fear  because  of  lb(‘ 
little  that  lias  after  all  been  done  for  these  poorest  of  the  poor. 
I-’inally,  may  this  booklet  also  be  a  cause  of  an  epidemic,  not  of 
some  di’ead  disease,  but  of  an  epidemic  of  greater  love  for  this 
cause.  For  this  purpose,  dear  reader,  I  invite  you  to  come  with  me 
ami  pay  a  visit  to  our  le])er  asylum  in  Chaiidkiiri. 

I.  On  Oiir  Way  to  tlie  Asylum 

\Vc  shall  s])end  no  time  in  a  description  of  tlu*  steamer  trip 
fi’om  America  to  India,  noi'  of  tlu*  journey  by  railroad  from  Bom¬ 
bay  lo  Baipiir.  A  de.scription  of  this  kind  is  to  !)(>  found  in  many 
books  of  travel.  But  at  Itaipur  we  must  leave  the  beatiMi  tra(‘k  of 
ihe  globe-trotter  and  take  to  side[)aths,  wlu're  the  missionary  is 
moi'(‘  at  home  and  a  better  guide.  (Jlobe-trotters  leave*  such  iiicoti- 


Rev.  Oscar  Nussmann  and  Wife 

I'lie  distance,  for  instance,  which  W(‘  hope  to  make  in  a  few  hours 
this  morning,  could  not  l)e  accomplished  in  li'ss  than  tw()  days  with 
a  laiifja.  And  then  consider  the  inconvenience!  of  youi'  meals  and 
passing  the  night  on  the  road.  .\o.  for  s[)eed  and  convenience,  the 
aiiloniobile  is  certainly  mucli  to  he  prefei'red  to  the  oxomobile,  and 
We  take'  eeur  seat  in  the  fe)rmer  with  hearty  thanks  to  the  kind  niis- 
sieeiiary  and  alse)  to  the  gooel  niissieen  friends  who  have  prendded 
him  witli  this  helpful  anel  e-eeiivenient  means  of  trave'l. 


venient  sieletracks  severely  alone  anel  then  claim,  that  there  is  lit¬ 
tle  to  he  se'eii  of  mission  weerk  in  the  Orient.  Our  destination  is 
4!)  miles  distant  on  the  main  roael  leading  from  Kaiinu'  to  Rilaspur. 
4'he  missionaries  at  Raipur  are  kind  enough  to  put  their  automobile 
at  e)ur  disposal,  otherwise  we  would  have  to  use  an  e)xcart.  called  a 
‘(uxja  in  Hindi.  Until  recently  this  was  the  usual  e-eenveyanex'  for 
missionai'ies,  causing  the  loss  of  much  valuable  tinu'  in  travelling. 


The  road  we  now  travel  is  one  of  the  few  good  ones  to  be  found 
in  Chhattisgarh.  During  recent  years  the  Government  has  spent 
large  sums  on  its  improvement.  The  rivers  and  rivulets  that  for- 
merely  retarded  the  progress  of  the  traveller  and  sometimes  led  to 
interesting  or  even  dangerous  experiences  have  all  been  bridged,  and 
we  need  anticipate  no  adventures  on  their  account.  Both  sides  of 
the  road  are  lined  with  shade  trees.  Avhich  fact  will  be  much  appre¬ 
ciated  by  us  as  the  sun  rises  higher  and  higher  and  its  heat  becomes 
more  and  more  intense,  'hhe  country  thru  Avhich  we  jiass  is  level 
and  uninteresting,  d'liose  of  us  who  ex])ected  to  see  beautiful  scen¬ 
ery  as  ])alm  trees,  dense  jungles  with  wonderful  ilowers  and  teem- 


Superintendent’s  Residence 

ing  with  animal  lift',  will  h(‘  sorely  disappoiiitcfl.  For  such  scenery 
you  must  go  to  tlu*  coast  districts,  lien*  we  see  vmy  few  trees.  The 
I’ice-lic'lds  lia\'e  already  l)e(Mi  cut.  tluu'e  is  nothing  to  se(‘  hut  the 
cliaract('rist i(;  Indian  \illages  ap|)(‘aring  (‘Very  mile  or  half-mile 
nearer  or  fartluu-  away  from  the  road.  We  sen*  one  or  two  small 
templ(‘S  on  the  roadside,  otherwise  nothijig  to  (‘xcite  our  int(‘rest. 
After  a  ride  of  three  hours,  we  ])ass  the  oldest  mission  station  of 
Chhattisgarh,  Itisrampur,  hut  cannot  ])ay  a  \isit  there  because  of 
lack  of  tinu‘.  We  admire  the  s(iuar(‘  stce|»le  of  the  Itisi'ampui' 
Church  tow(‘ring  above  the  cluster  of  tr(‘es.  and  get  a  glimpse  of  a 


t 


few  of  the  mission  buildings;  the  remainder  of  the  station  is  liiddmi 
from  onr  sight  l)y  many  trees  snrronnding  tlie.bnilding. 

Ten  miles  farther  on  we  approach  ('liandknri.  ddie  conntrv 
round  a1)ont  is,  if  anything,  still  more  monotonous  than  that  seen 
elsewhere.  The  view  of  the  station,  however,  is  by  contrast  so  mneh 
moi'e  imposing.  We  see  a  clnster  of  white  hnildings  on  both  sides 
of  the  road.  To  the  right  the  two  mission  bungalows  and  a  little 
farther  on  the  large  clmreli  with  high  steeple.  Beyond  and  behind 
the  chnreh  lies  the  (diristian  village  of  Baitalpnr.  To  the  left  of  the 
road  appear  the  buildings  of  the  le])er  asylnm,  forming  by  tliem- 
s(dves  a  good  sized  village.  Tn  between  all  these  gleaming  white 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Waggoner  and  Guests 

buildings  niiniei'oiis  gretm  trees  and  shrubs  ladp  to  make  the  picture 
a  most  j)leasing  one.  ddie  view  is  so  unexpc'cted  that  you  may  lie 
1(‘(|  to  ladieve  that  the  blue  sk}^  and  the  air  (piivering  with  heat  have 
[)lay(‘(l  you  a  trick  and  shown  yon  a  Fata  Morgana.  The  (’hand- 
kuri  Leper  Asylum  is  in  reality  an  oasis  in  the  desert,  not  a  dark, 
forbidding  and  sinistiu’  looking  institution,  bnt  a  pleasing,  home¬ 
like.  ho])e-ins])iring  village.  Were  wc'  to  pass  the  asylum  and  ride 
on  21  miles  further  to  tiu'  next  railroad  station,  Bilaspur,  we  might 
also  impure  like  tlu*  Fnglish  otlicial,  “I  have  jaissed  thru  a  peculiar 
village*  today.”  W(‘ll-built  houses,  wide  stn'ets,  nice  lawns,  even 
a  church,  l)ut  only  natives  to  l)e  seen.  What  may  it  have  l)ee*n 
Well,  we  nei'd  not  inquire*;  we  are  not  going  to  pass  by,  but  will  e-all 


—  5  — 


on  Ii’ev.  11.  'r.  Waggoner,  who  is  the  |)resent  superintendejil,  and 
whose  home  is  in  one  oJi  the  two  mission  bungalows.  'Phe  horn  of 
our  auto  has  already  announced  oui’  arrival  to  him,  and  theri'  he 
comes  with  wife  and  children  to  welcome  us. 

II.  Facts  Concerning  Leprosy 

The  bungalow  which  we  now  enter  is  the  smallest  of  the  mis- 
si(m.  It  contains  hut  few  rooms.  The  walls  are  whitewashed  and 
The  furniture  is  very  simple.  After  we  have  rid  ourselves  of  most 
of  the  dust  gathered  on  oui-  trip  we  have  tinu‘  for  a  little  rest  and 
chat,  seated  in  comfortable  wickei’  chairs.  It  is  too  late  to  take  a 
walk  ov(‘r  to  tlu'  asylum  now,  as  it  is  half-past  ten  and  breakfast 
is  due  at  eleven.  In  India.  Chliolii  liazrl.  or  first  breakfast  is  taken 
at  six  in  tlu‘  morning,  and  consists  usually  of  tea,  toast  and  sotju* 
fiuit.  ilazri;  oi'  breakfast,  is  taken  at  (deven,  and  coi’respunds  more 
to  oiii’  .Vinei'ican  diniu'r  than  to  a  hix-akfast.  Th(‘  half  hour  h'ft 
hid'oi'e  hri'akfast  we  i)ass  by  plying  onr  host  with  (piestions. 

I'ii'st  ol  all  W(‘  want  to  know;  irlui/  prct  (iiilhtiis  do  ijoii  /u/rr  lo 
ovoid  i  n  j  (od  U)ii 

'dr.  Waggomu'  answers  smilingly:  d  hat  is  not  as  difficult  as  it 
seems  to  lac  Tlau'c  is  very  little  ne('d  of  my  touching  the  h'i»ers. 
as  soni'c  inmates  of  the  asylum  whose  hands  arc'  still  in  good  c()n- 
dition  arc'  tiained  to  bandage  the'  wounds  of  tlu'  others.  The'  dan¬ 
ger  of  infection  also  is  not  nearly  as  great  as  most  ])c'ople  suppose'. 
Al  issionaric's  have'  woi'ked  for  years  amongst  these  people'  without 
hc'ing  infee-tc'd.  A  case'  that  oe-e-ui'red  in  South  .Vfrie-a  proves  that 
many  [eeople  are  practie-aMy  immune  to  this  disease'.  Seeme  thirty 
years  ago  a  young  married  man  prove'd  tec  be  a  le])er.  The  (Jovern- 
Jiient  eerdered  him  tee  be'  transpoi'tc'd  to  the  lejeer  colony  on  Robin 
Island.  Ills  wife  wished  to  accompany  him,  hut  was  denied  jee'rmis- 
sion.  W  hen  finally  the  young  man  was  ae-tually  to  he  taken  away 
the  wife  e-iil  a  deep  gash  into  lic'r  arm  and  I'uhbing  the  same  on  one' 
e)f  the'  lepi’ceiis  ule-e'i's  of  lu'r  husband  e'ric'd  :  “Aeew  1  alsee  am  a  leper; 
now  ye)U  cannot  prevc'iit  me'  from  going  with  my  husbiind.”  lle*r 
wish  was  grantc'd.  For  .se'veral  ye'ars  she  Jiurse'd  he'i'  husband  until 
he'  dic'd,  and  then  she  reinaiiu'd  in  the'  asylum  tee  nurse  eetlu'r  lej)- 
e'rs.  Xe)t  the'  h'ast  sign  eef  le'|)re»sy  has  heewe'Ve'r  been  discove'i'cd  een 
the  weeman. 

On  the'  otlu'r  side,  unde'iiiable  cases  of  infection  have*  been 
proven.  'Phus,  Re*v.  rffmann,  the  founder  of  the  large  I’nrulia 
asylum,  was  led  to  devote  his  life  to  the  le[)ers  after  his  oldest 
daughter  had  been  inlected.  'Phe  story  of  an  English  lady  who 
wore  a  Chinese  wig  to  a  mask  ball  and  eighteen  months  late'r 
showed  delinite  symptoms  of  le})rosy,  is  well  known. 

•Vobody  denies  that  le[)rosy  is  infectious,  but  just  how  the  dis- 


casi'  is  carritMl  fi'oiii  oiu'  pei'son  to  another  is  not  deiinitely  known. 
It  is  (jnite  certain,  however,  that  only  [X'rsons  speeially  snseeptihle, 
siieh  as  nndernouihslied  or  other  ])ersons  of  a  weak  (a)nstitut ion  will 
he  infected,  also  tliat  the  haeillns  Jieeds  a  long  tinu‘  for  develo])- 
ineid.  d'o  w{*ar  clothes  worn  by  a  leper  is  nndonbtedly  very  dan¬ 
gerous.  .\ow  no  sensible  ])erson  will  do  that  knowingly.  In  India. 
how(!ver,  such  things  may  happen,  where  the  lanndry-inen  often 
W(‘ar  the  (dothing  given  to  them  l)efor('  washing  it.  A  case  of  h'p- 
rosy  (U'veloped  in  the  fandly  of  a  certain  missionary.  Tpon  inv(‘s- 
tiyaiion  il  w;is  discovered  tlnit  llu'  washerman  who  handled  the 


Dressing  the  Wounds  of  a  Leper  Patient 


laundry  of  this  family  was  a  leper  and  the  probable  source  of  in¬ 
fection.  Indian  washermen  often  w'ash  laundry  in  ponds  where 
lepers  are  accustomed  to  bathe.  And  thus  you  need  not  necessarily 
b(‘  stiperintendent  of  an  asylum  to  be  exposed  to  leprosy.  But  as 
mentioned  before,  there  is  fortunately  very  little  danger  of  infec¬ 
tion  if  you  observe  the  ludes  of  sanitation  and  have  a  healthy  con¬ 
stitution.  If  you  wash  hands  and  face  with  some  disinfectant  after 
each  visit  to  the  asyinm  yon  arc'  (pdte  safe.  All  money  passed  thru 
the  asylum  is  disinfected. 

lloir  do  lion  reco(iNtZ(’  a  leper  as  surit,  and  Is  II  east/  to  diapnoi^e 
leprosip  is  pridnihhj  oar  next  (laeslion. 

.\o.  it  is  not.  'Phere  arc*  many  diseases  showing  similar  sym- 
toms.  'Phc're  are  also  two  kinds  of  leprosy,  the  nervous  ami  tuhc'i-- 
eidoiis  type's.  In  the'  formc'r  kind,  the*  i)eripheral  lu'i'ves  arc;  at- 
taekc'd  first  of  all.  'Phey  heconu'  intlamc'd  and  dc'geiic'ralc'.  causing 
the'  (('11s  and  organs  eontrolh'd  h\'  iIk'iii  also  to  d.'ce'ne'rate'.  diu' 


skill  in  spols  and  patdios  cdianges  its  color.  'I'lu*  parts  lose  all  sen¬ 
sation,  the  tissues  die,  ulcers  foinn,  and  jiarts  of  the  body,  espi'- 
cially  linger  and  toe  tijis,  gradually  decay  and  fall  away. 

'I’he  tuherculous  type  of  leprosy,  however,  first  attacks  the 
skin  and  lyniphatic  glands.  !Many  nodules  are  formed,  covering 
sometimes  the  wdiole  body.  They  degenerate  and  form  ulcers.  Af¬ 
ter  the  disease  has  advanced  to  some  extent  it  is  easily  recognized, 
hut  this  is  ditiicult  in  the  beginning.  Light  colored  s))ots  on  tlu' 
body,  in  which  no  jiain  is  felt  if  ])ricked  deeply  with  a  needle,  arc 
fairly  definite,  tho  not  conclusive  signs  of  leprosy. 

If  lepromj  is  dkovered  in  the  person,  irlial  do  the  other  inein- 
hfis  of  the  faniilij  do? 

Those  who  contract  le[)rosy  try  to  hide  the  fact  as  long  as  pos¬ 
sible  and  often  succeed  in  doing  so  for  a  kmg  time.  If  a  wonian 
becomes  a  leper  she  will  probably,  tho  not  in  all  cases,  he  expelled 
from  the  home.  If  it  is  a  man,  he  often  remains  with  his  family 
until  death.  If,  however,  the  man  is  ])oor,  his  relatives  will  prob¬ 
ably  expel  him  as  soon  as  he  cannot  work,  and  thus  becomes  a  burden 
to  the  family.  Tlinduk,  as  a  rule,  do  not  fear  infectioji  very  much. 
'Fhey  believe  in  fate,  namely,  that  whatever  has  been  foreordained 
will  happen,  no  matter  what  one  does,  'riien*  are  many  leprons 
washermen,  candymakers,  and  merchants  who  continue  unhindered 
in  their  business,  d’hus  while  many  le])ers  are  cast  out  by  their 
families,  the  number  who  are  ])ermitted  to  remain  in  their  honu's 
is  (pute  large. 

What  do  the  natives  do  for  the  onteast  lepers? 

\'ery  little.  A  leper  begging  in  a  village  may  receive  a  penny 
or  a  handful  of  rice  from  some  Hindu  who  wishes  to  gain  nu'rit. 
hut  no  organized  etfort  is  made  in  his  behalf,  d'he  Hindu  religion 
has  created  hosi)itals  for  sick  cows  and  monkeys,  hut  not  for  sick 
men.  Hindus  Ixvlieve  that  leprosy  is  a  punishment  inllict('(l  In-  (Jod 
upon  a  ])erson  for  some  grave  sin  committed  in  a  foi-mei-  lith.  'I'o 
help  a  leper,  therefore,  is  to  act  counter  to  the  will  of  (fod. 

Oh  what  a  dreadful  religion  I  Hat  has  not  the  tiorernnieni 
taken  steps  to  provide  for  the  onteast  tepers.  and  for  their  isolation 
from  the  health p  eonnn  anitji  so  as  to  prevent  the  farther  inerease 
of  the  disease? 

The  (Jovernment  mt'ddles  as  little  as  possible  with  the  private 
alfairs  of  the  nativt's.  'riie  people  woidd  not  rec(»gnize  the  value 
(d‘  such  interference  and  therehn-e  l)itt(‘rly  oppo.M*  it.  In  India  nearly 
all  matters  are  connected  with  caste  and  religion,  and  the  (!ov(‘rn- 
ment  has  |)romised  to  he  strictly  neutral  in  thes(*  things.  A  Le|)er 
.Vet  has  been  ])assed.  which  deals  howevm-,  with  such  destitute  lep¬ 
ers  who  in  begging  for  alms  exi)ose  their  woumL.  or  lepers  whose 


s 


trade  oi'  profession  iiiakt'  them  a  danger  to  llie  eomniiinity  at  large. 
Snell  le])ers  may  he  arrested  and  sent  to  a  (rovernnient  asylum. 
But  this  aet  is  in  foree  in  only  small  sections  of  India,  mainly  in 
the  large  cities,  and  even  there  is  not  rigoro\isly  enforced.  Ihmee, 
very  few  h'pers  are  detained  under  the  leper  aet.  Lejiers  do  not  care 
to  go  to  a  (h)vernment  asylum.  It  is  very  dittienlt  for  the  (lovern- 
ment  to  iind  supi'i’inteiidents  who  are  willing  to  accept  such  an  unde- 
sirahle  position.  It  therefore  jirefers.  if  jiossible,  to  erect  such 
asylums  in  conm'ction  with  mission  asylums,  and  ]»lace  the  h‘pers 
iindei'  the  charge  of  missionaries,  ddnis  a  nnmlier  of  (lovernnient 
wai’ds  have  been  ad(h‘d  to  oni-  (diandkuri  asylum,  wlu're  destitute 


Leper  Women  and  Temporary  Huts  of  Bamboo  and  Straw,  Built 
before  Permanent  Wards  Were  Erected 

lepers  mav  he  scmt  hv  the  courts  and  kept  at  ( lovm’mneiit  expense, 
tho  uiuler  the  su|)ervision  of  the  mission. 

At  this  point  our  iiitcnx'St  i ng  coin'm'sat  ion  is  i nteri'uptiMl  liy 
one  of  the  servants,  Pdiwa.  who  entei's  the  room  with  th(‘  words; 
Khdua  lajidr  liei,  meaning,  dinnei-  is  ser\(“d.  An  interesting  pm'son, 
this  Bilwa.  In  his  long  white  coat  and  snow  white  turban  he 
makes  a  neat  ajipearance.  tho  his  coloi’  is  dark  and  feet  arc'  harc'.  He 
has  taken  great  pains  in  setting  oui'  table  this  morning.  The  hut- 
t(*r  is  ])ressed  in  s[)eeial  forms,  the  napkins  arc-  skillfully  folded, 
and  the  talde  is  prettily  decoratc'd  with  flowers.  Bilwa  eerlainly 


must  be  an  ideal  house  servant.  'Phat  is  one  matter  in  which  mis¬ 
sionaries  have  the  advantage  over  ns. 

Well,  thereby  hangs  a  tale,  as  Kipling  would  say.  Books  could 
be  written  on  this  subject.  In  many  eases  it  may  be  (inestioned 
whether  the  service  rendered  by  a  servajit  is  worth  the  trouble  he 
makes.  Bilwa,  for  instance,  is  not  only  ade]>t  at  setting  a  table, 
but  also  skillful  at  jirocuring  things  for  his  own  table.  He  has 
peculiar  ideas  concerning  ])roperty  rights.  He  reasons,  as  do  many 
servants:  1  am  the  pi'o])erty  of  the  Sahib,  so  if  I  take  the  Sahib’s 
belongings,  they  are  still  his.  Once  when  he  was  dismissed  from 
service  because  of  })uttiug  this  philosophy  into  |)ractice,  he  cauu* 
to  his  missionary  with  an  o])en  Bible  in  his  hand,  pointing  to 
Matthew"  1<S:  '<^1  :  How  often  must  1  foi'give  my  l)rothei‘,  etc.  Well, 
very  often  has  Bilwa  been  forgiven,  and  he  is  still  in  the  service. 
But  we  want  to  see  and  partake  of  that  which  he  has  prepared  for  us. 

First  comes  a  course  of  oatmeal.  Then  Bilwa  brings  a  largt- 
dish  of  rice,  cooked  in  Indian  fashion,  that  is,  for  a  short  time 
only,  so  that  each  kernel  is  still  separate  and  glistening  whitt-.  To 
this  we  add  curry,  wliieh  may  be  made  of  any  vegetable  or  meat 
cooked  in  a  well  s})iced  sauce.  Furry  and  rice  is  the  national  dish 
of  India,  and  is  never  omitted  from  the  menu.  Finally,  Bilwa 
bia’ngs  some  Indian  fruit,  when  ends  our  typical  Indian  meal.  Af- 
t(‘i‘  the  meal  we  are  allowed  to  retire  to  our  rooms  to  rest  until 
two  o’clock.  These  are  the  hottest  hours  of  the  day,  which  every¬ 
body  who  can  manage  to  do  so  spends  in  the  shelter  of  a  roof. 

Ill.  How  the  Asylum  ’Was  Founded 

Being  refreshed  by  our  siesta  and  a  cup  of  tea,  we  ])roeeed  to 
the  other  mission  bungalow  oidy  a  hundred  yards  distant  to  greet 
Kev.  J.  ('.  Koenig,  lie  and  his  family  bid  us  a  hearty  welcoine. 
Kev.  Koeiii”'  is  now  in  cbai'ae  of  tin*  wneral  station  work,  but  we 
soon  diseovei'  that  for  seveial  years  he  also  luul  chargt'  of  tlu*  asy¬ 
lum.  Xo  doubt,  the  asylum  must  have  an  interesting  history,  so 
we  proeved  to  (|uestion  him  coneerinng  this.  Rev.  Koenig  is  fpiiti* 
ready  to  give  us  the  desired  infoianation. 

d’he  asylum  was  (h'finitely  oi'ganized  during  the  famine  of 
1<S!)()  to  I  .Si)!.  Foi-  some  yi'ars  pr(‘vious,  however,  the  missionaries 
had  had  dealings  with  le])ers.  It  was  discovered  that  the  mother 
of  one  of  the  Fhristians  living  at  Baitalpnr  was  a  leper.  A  small 
hut  was  built  for  her  in  a  corner  of  the  mission  property.  A  num¬ 
ber  of  outcast  le))ers  living  in  the  neighborhood  also  repeatedly 
came  to  the  missionaries  for  help.  In  a  village  some  distance  away 
from  Baitalpui-  lived  three  hrothers,  all  lepers.  'I’he  oldest  of 
these,  dattan,  desired  to  beeonu'  a  Christian.  The  missionarit's 


1(1 


tried  to  plaee  an  evangelist  in  that  village  to  instniet  dattaii  and 
others  hut  could  not  obtain  the  permission  of  the  village  owner. 
The  only  other  course  to  hel])  Jattan  was  to  place  him  in  some  leper 
asylum,  but  none  was  available.  This  prol)lem  of  caring  for  the 
lepers  who  apijealed  to  the  mission  was  exercising  the  mind  of  l»ev. 
K.  Xottrott,  when  the  suggestion  to  appeal  to  the  newly  organ¬ 
ized  Mission  to  Lepers,  with  heachpiarters  in  Ldinbui'gh,  was  made 
by  Rev.  Hahn  of  the  (rossncr  .Alission.  This  suggestion  was  acUsI 


Rev.  J.  Koenig  and  Family 

Upon,  and  on  February  'LMid.  LSPl,  tin-  first  grant  of  was  it*- 

cciv(>(l  lowai'd  the  erection  of  a  Icptu'  asylum  in  Puiitalpui'. 

'flu'  beginning  was  a  very  small  one.  In  tlu>  northeast  corner 
of  till'  mission  compound  a  few  temporary  huts  were  built,  dattan, 
his  two  brotluMs,  and  three*  other  l(‘|)t‘rs  wei’e  tin*  first  inmates. 
Soon  after  this  a  larger  grant  was  rcc(‘iv(‘d  from  Ldinburgh,  and 


tli('  niissioiiarv  planned  to  (M'cet  an  asylum  foi’  al)ont  twenty  le|»ers. 
n(‘l'oi'('  tills  plan  eovdd  he  executed,  liowevei',  it  heeaine  ju'cessary 
to  (Milar^'e  it.  For  1<S!)7  was  the  iirst  year  oF  a  series  of  famines, 
wliieli  cost  the  lives  of  thousands  of  peo[)le  in  India.  'I'lie  outcast 
lepers  were  the  tirst  to  feel  tlie  pineli  of  hunger.  When  others  had 
little  to  eat,  there  was  uothing  left  for  them.  No  sooiu'r,  therefore, 
had  tile  news  of  the  founding  of  an  asylum  in  (’hamlkuri  heeii 
S])rea(l  in  the  villages  when  great  numhers  of  lepers  hegan  to  floi'k 
then'. 

In  Fehruary,  the  asylum  started  with  eiglit  inmates,  hy  dune 
the  nuinher  had  increased  to  forty,  and  before  the  close  of  the  yi'ar 
the  number  reached  one  hundred,  with  about  twenty  untainti'd  or 
lu'althy  ehildivn  of  le[)er  jiari'iits. 

A  long  roughlv  imuh'  Imilding  of  stoiu'  with  many  rooms  shel¬ 
tered  the  fii'st  U'pers.  Soon  it  was  filled  and  ti'inpoT’ary  huts,  built 
of  clay  and  hamhoos.  hail  to  he  I'n'cted.  Idie  lepers  received  the 
lU'ci'ssarv  food  and  clothing,  and  in  spile  of  his  many  labors  in¬ 
creased  hy  the  burdens  of  a  famine  year.  Ilev.  Nottrott  found  time 
to  ])reach  the  (iosjiel  to  them.  ITis  efforts  wc're  not  in  vain.  In 
fact,  the  letters  proved  to  he  esjiecially  ]ire])ared  for  the  (ios])el  mes¬ 
sage.  In  I )('cemh('i',  lS!)^,ou  the  occasion  of  t lu' visit  of  ,M  r. 'riioinas 
Ihiiley,  Secretary  of  the  .Mission  to  lA'iiers,  I’ev.  Xottrott  had  tlu' 
joy  of  haptizing  the  tirst-fruits  of  the  lejier  work  in  (’handkuid. 

Soon  after  this,  l»ev.  Xottrott  I'xperienced  another  great  joy. 
The  Duchess  of  (Irafton  had  lu'ard  of  the  le|)er  work  in  (diandkuii. 
and  made  a  large  contrihution  towaials  it.  It  was  thus  ])ossihle  to 
move  the  asylum  from  its  (■I'owded  site  dirc'ctly  adjoining  a  com¬ 
munity  of  healthy  pi'ople  to  a  more  fitting  location.  When  Kev. 
Xottrott  ('iideavori'd  to  buy  a  suitable  site,  howi'Vi'r.  he  found  that 
the  Hindus  had  made  an  agi'i'C'inent  not  to  sell  him  any  land  for 
this  purpose,  d’liey  did  not  want  a  community  of  le])ers  in  their 
neighborhood.  Finally  a  ])lot  of  fifteen  acres  was  secured  from  a 
native'  Christian,  dagdeo.  I’his  site  is  just  opjiosite  the  road  from 
th('  Christian  village  of  Thiitaliiur,  and  with  adjoining  pieces  of 
land  acipured  later,  forms  the  jiresent  comjiound  of  the  asylum.  As 
this  land  is  within  tiu'  houndaidt's  of  the  village  Chamlkuri.  the 
asylum  is  otiicially  known  as  the  Chandkuri  Leper  .Vsyliim. 

.\s  soon  as  the  necessary  land  was  acipni'i'd  jx'rmanent  huild- 
i]igs  W('re  erected,  ddiese  were  built  solidly  of  stone  in  lime.  'Pwcj 
wells  W('r('  dug,  one  for  tlu'  asylum  and  another  in  the  home  for  un- 
laint(‘d  childri'ii.  Fernianent  hidldings  could,  however,  not  he  pul 
up  ipdckly  ('uough  and  very  ofti'ii  temporary  shelters  had  to  accom¬ 
modate  many  of  tlu'  inmates.  l>y  .March,  IhOo,  the  numhc'r  of  in¬ 
mates  had  grown  to  IS.")  l('])ers  with  (iO  untainted  children,  juul  hy 


•liuiuary,  tln'  mnuhcr  had  iiicrrased  to  d<Sd  adidt  loja'i's. 

l(‘l)(‘i-  cliildron,  and  (ii  untainted  children.  As  great  nundjers  ol 
lepers  einhraeed  ( 'hristianity,  a  church  soon  hecatne  a  nec(*ssity. 
Its  foundation  stone  was  laid  in  IhttO,  and  the  plain  hut  heauti- 
ful  structUK'  dedicated  to  the  worship  of  tlu'  dhdune  (fod  iji  Ihfiy. 

When  in  1!M)1  I’ev.  Xottrott  left  on  a  w(‘ll  earned  and  long 
oveialue  furlough  to  Anuudca,  he  could  look  hack  upon  s[)lendid  r(‘- 
sults  of  his  labors  ij)  Ihiitalpur.  llesides  ■  tlu‘  results  iu  other 
hranches  of  mission  work  a  model  leper  asylum,  the  second  largest 
in  India,  had  been  created,  d'he  institution  had  a  good  numhci' 
of  permanent  and  some  temporary  wards  for  lepers,  a  good  dis¬ 
pensary,  a  splendid  church,  and  separate  homes  for  le|)ers  and  un¬ 
tainted  childnm.  The  number  of  inmates  exceeded  four  hundr(‘d. 
(»f  whom  the  majority  had  been  led  to  Christ. 


Leper  Congregation  Leaving  the  Church 


h’ev.  A'ottrott's  place  was  taken  by  l»ev.  H.  H.  Lohans.  Un¬ 
fortunately  he  Could  remain  oidy  a  year  wdien  he  was  ti'ansferred 
to  take  charge  of  tlu'  catechist  school  in  Hai])ur.  Jlis  successoi-  was 
Kev.  U.  d'illmanns,  OOd  to  lOOti,  who  left  to  organize  a  new  sta¬ 
tion  at  iMahasarnudra,  wheji  iMr.  W.  11.  \\  Anderson  took  chai'gc'  of 
the  asylum.  iVIr.  Anderson,  a  successful  hnsiness  man  of  Canada, 
had  heard  of  tlie  great  w'ork  being  done  among  the  lejau's  of  India 
ajid  felt  a  call  from  Cod  to  join  this  work.  lie  olfered  his  sci-- 
\dces  to  the  Mission  to  Le])crs,  and  for  six  years  worked  most  siu'- 
cesslhdly  at  the  lu'ad  of  tlu;  asylum  i]i  (diandkuri.  The  le])ers  had 
only  twm  criticisms  to  olfer  concerning  Mr.  Anderson  and  his  two 
pn‘decessors,  namely  that  they  did  not  remain  as  long  as  the  lejan-s 


—  13 


(l(>sir('(l,  find  then,  that  they  were  haehelors.  Especially  the  lejjer 
woiikai  missed  the  Mem  Sahih  very  much,  to  whom  they  might  liave 
tmhiirdened  their  hearts. 

During  the  term  of  all  thi'ee  bachelors  building  oi)erations 
were  continued.  The  temporary  mud  huts  were  replaced  by  per¬ 
manent  stone  buildings.  -IMr.  x^nderson  built  the  large  hospital  in 
which  the  advanced  cases  are  nursed.  The  funds  for  this  building 
were  donated  by  the  same  titled  lady  who  made  the  first  large  gift 
to  the  asylum.  Other  large  donations  weie  also  received  by  Mr. 
Anderson.  The  Evangelical  Bethlehem  Congregation  of  ('hicago 
donated  the  funds  tor  one  of  the  women's  wards,  and  some  friends 


Mr.  W.  H.  P.  Anderson 


made  it  possil)le  to  erect  a  men's  ward  in  memory  of  Mr.  Ander¬ 
son’s  father.  xV  special  gift  was  also  received  for  a  separate  home 
for  untainted  girls.  This  home,  called  the  (rertrude  Home,  by  re- 
(piest  of  the  donor,  was  built  near  the  road,  a  short  distance  in  front 
of  the  asylum.  similar  home  for  untainted  hoys  was  built  in 
1 !)  1 .'). 

Mr.  .Vnder.son  wa-<  also  succ(‘ssful  in  gaining  the  cooperation  of 
the  Indian  (Jovernment.  In  l!)(ll  the  fii’st  (Jovernnumt  grant  was 
made  to  tin*  asylum.  Irregular  grants  weie  rt'ceived  after  that  un¬ 
til  l!)l).s,  when  the  (Jovc'rnment  Ix'gan  to  grant  monthly  allowances 
of  fifty  cents  per  adult  numiher  and  twenty-five  cents  |)er  h'per 
child.  'I'his  rate  of  a-sistance  wa^^  iiu-reastal  in  r.M:’)  and  again  in 


14  — 


1920.  IMany  building  grants  also  were  received,  the  Government 
paying  lialf  of  the  cost  of  many  buildings. 

In  1908  an  important  addition  was  made  to  the  Institution 
when  the  Government  Leper  Asylum  of  Aagpur  was 'moved  to 
Chamlkuri.  d''o  the  asylum  in  Nagp^ir  had  been  assigned  the  des¬ 
titute  lei)ers  found  in  the  bazaars  of  the  larger  cities  of  the  Central 
Ih'ovinces.  But  neither  the  lepers  noi’  the  Goveiuiment  were  satis¬ 
fied  with  conditions  there.  It  was  impossible  to  secure  the  right 
superintendent.  The  Government  therefore  in  1908  requested  the 
mission  for  permission  to  add  some  bulidings  to  the  Chamlkuri 
asylum  and  ])lace  the  (tovernment  lepers  in  charge  of  the  mission¬ 
ary  there.  The  arrangements  were  completed,  the  Government  ac- 
quii'cd  the  necessary  ground,  and  erected  two  wards  for  men  and  one 
for  women.  The  Government,  of  course,  paid  for  the  buildings  as 


Interior,  Men’s  Ward 


well  as  the  maintenance  of  the  lepers  in  these  wards.  The  number 
of  lepers  in  the  Government  wards  varies  from  fifteen  to  forty. 
They  are  treated  in  all  respects  as  the  le])ers  in  the  mission  wards, 
with  one  important  exception,  namely,  that  while  the  latter  are  at 
libei’ty  to  come  and  go  as  they  please,  the  former  are  recpiired  to  re¬ 
main  in  the  asylum. 

In  1912  ]\Ir.  Anderson  was  honored  by  being  appointed  gen¬ 
eral  secretary  of  the  Mission  to  Lepers,  and  as  such  moved  to  head¬ 
quarters  in  Edinburgh.  His  place  in  Chandkuri  was  taken  by  Lev. 
M.  P.  Davis.  'Unfortunately,  Eev.  Davis,  after  a  stay  of  only  nine 
months  in  Chandkuri  was  forced  to  return  to  America  because  of 
his  wife’s  sickness.  Again  a  bachelor  came  to  the  asylum— con- 


15  — 


liluu's  Mr.  Koenig’  witli  m  smile — lor  1  wns  unmarried  when  I  took 
cltarge  of  the  asylum.  Hut  1  fidfilled  the  earnest  desire  ot  many 
of  th(‘  lei)er  w-oineu  by  pin'seiiting-  them  witli  a  iMem  Sahih  l)eloi'e  I 
l)assed  on  my  woi’k  to  my  sueeessor.  ddiis  was  in  danuaiw,  IhlK 
wlieu  I  w'as  asked  to  take  eharge  oi‘  the  general  work  ot  the  station. 
Since  then  your  host,  Mr.  Waggoner,  is  superintendent,  as  we  be¬ 
lieve.  who  came  to  us  in  a  providential  way  when  we  were  in  dire 


Rev.  M.  P.  Davis  and  Family 


need  of  workers.  During  these  years  tlie  asyliim  natui'allv  eonliu- 
ued  to  grow,  hut  tins  you  may  as  well  go  to  see  yourself,  d'lie  worst 
lu'at  ol  the  day  has  ])assc‘d.  ^Ir.  M  aggoner,  L  am  suix*.  is  now  readv 
to  lake  you  oV(>r  to  the  asylum,  and  I  will  he  glad  to  go  with  von. — 


16  — 


IV.  A  General  View  of  the  Asylum 

We  j)}iss  out  of  the  inif^.sion  eoiu pound  into  the  road,  follow 
this  north  for  some  luuulred  yards,  ])ass  the  village  eluirch,  and 
part  of  Baital|)ur  village,  and  then  turn  to  the  left  into  a  gravel 
walk.  Before  ns  is  a  large  o])en  si)aee,  and  beyond  that  the  asyhini 
proper.  dV)  onr  right  is  the  home  for  untainted  hoys,  to  onr  left 
the  tine  Gertrude  Home  for  girls,  and  behind  that  a  number  of 
(panders  for  asylum  eni|doyees.  We  follow  the  gravelled  walk  past 
the  olfice  building  wheia^  the  asylum  rec'ords  are  kept  and  come  to 
the  main  entrance  of  the  institution.  One  of  the  stone  pillars  su])- 
])orting  the  gate  hears  a  stone  }»late  with  the  inscription  :  'The  ('lair(‘ 
Leper  Asylum,  Founded  189T ;  whih,'  the  other  (piotes  l*salm  ITT; 
The  Lord's  delight  is  in  them  that  tear  Him  and  ])nt  their  trust 
in  I  Ms  mercy. 


Office 


Before  av(‘  enter  tlu'  asvhim  W(‘  ai'c  to  hecoiiu'  ac(piainled  with 
leprosy  in  all  its  hideousness.  Aear  the  gat('  we  sec  (•I'oiich i ng  on 
the  ground  sonu‘  forms  that  scai’cely  seem  human.  A  few  dirty 
rags  hi<h‘  their  nak(Mlness.  Dirty  hlood-staiiuMl  stidps  of  cloth  arc- 
wrapped  about  deformed  and  ulcerat(‘d  hands  and  feet.  A  small 
bundle  contaiiiing  all  their  possessions  and  a  slatf  on  whi(di  they 
hav'‘  supporte(l  themselves  lies  hi'side  tluun.  Fingxudcss  stumps  of 
h;‘ ads  are  str('lch(‘d  out  towards  us  Avhile  voices  hoarse  with  leprosy 
(•IT  out:  Sahib,  mahai'aj,  daya  kar,  hammarte  hein  ;  which  is,  trans¬ 
lated:  Sii',  O  great  king,  have  numcy  on  us.  We  are  dying.  'To  us 
the  sight  is  gruesome,  tho  the  missionaries  have  become  accustomed 
to  it.  Since  the  ojiening  of  the  asylum  over  two  thousand  leiiers 
have  sat  at  this  ]dace.  ATn-y  few  have  asked  in  vain.  Pleadingly 
we  look  at  IMr.  Waggoner  to  see  Avhat  Avill  he  done  in  this  case.  But 

—  17  — 


there  is  no  need  of  [)lea(ling.  A  few  (piestions' have  conviiua'd  tla* 
missionary  of  the  need  of  these  people ;  an  attendant  is  directed  to 
take  them  t(j  the  office,  where  tliey  will  be  registered,  cleaned  and 
bandaged,  })rovided  with  clean  clothes,  and  then  be  led  to  their  new 
home  in  one  of  the  wards. 

As  we  enter  the  asylum  we  follow  a  well-laid-out  and  shaded 
walk  leading  directly  to  the  church.  'Fo  our  left  we  pass  some 
store  rooms  and  then  the  neat  little  school,  where  the  leper  children 
and  some  adults  who  have  a  desire  for  an  education  are  taught  to 
read,  but  very  few  to  write,  for  the  simple  reason  that  most  of  them 
have  no  fingers.  School  is  not  held  at  this  time  of  the  afternoon, 
but  a  glimpse  thru  the  f)pen  door  reveals  the  teacher’s  desk  and 
chair  and  a  few  ma])s  and  i)icture  rolls  on  the  wall,  but  no  seats  for 


Twilight  Service  at  Hospital 

the  pu])ils.  I’hese  sit,  as  is  the  universal  custom  in  India,  on  the 
floor.  Behind  fhe  school  is  a  small  compound,  containing  the  Ob¬ 
servation  Ward,  where  childi'en  are  kept  until  it  can  be  decided 
whether  they  can  bi*  placed  in  a  home  for  healthy  childriui  or  must 
rejuain  witli  the  lepcu-s. 

\ow  we  have  reached  the  center  of  the  asylum.  Directly  in 
front  of  us  is  the  fine  little  church.  To  the  right  of  it,  the  still 
finer  hosi)ital.  Behind  these  buildings  we  catch  a  glimpse  of  the 
store  and  carpenter  shop.  On  our  left  is  a  grouj)  of  buildings  sur- 
roiinded  by  a  stone  wall,  the  wards  for  women.  To  our  right  is  a 
large,  well  k{‘pt  lawn,  and  beyond  that  another  group  of  buildings, 
the  wards  for  men.  All  tlu‘  buildings  are  white-washed  and  covered 
with  red  til(*s.  (fravel  walks  kept  scrupulously  clean  lead  from  one 

—  IS  — 


to  another.  Many  trees  planted  along-  the  walks  provide  abundani 
shade.  Order  and  cleaidiness  is  observed  on  all  sides,  and  the  pic¬ 
ture  ])resented  is  indeed  a  pleasant  one  and  a  credit  to  the  mission 
and  the  missionaries. 

We  decide  to  enter  the  church  first  of  all.  A  class  of  lepers 
pre])aring  for  baptism  is  jnst  receiving  instruction.  As  we  enter 
the  neat  and  simple  building,  the  instructor  of  the  class,  the  asylum 
evangelist,  comes  to  greet  us,  and  friendly  mlaains  are  heard  from 
the  class  of  al)out  sixty  leper  men  and  women,  seated  on  matting- 
spread  over  the  cement  floor  of  the  church.  As  we  look  about  we 
notice  the  absence  of  any  luxurious  furniture  usually  associated 
with  a  church.  Simple  chairs  and  altar  and  reading  desk  are  found 
on  the  i)latform,  tw()  stone  tablets,  one  inscribed  in  Hindi  with  the 
Ivord’s  Prayer,  and  the  (direr  with, the.  ten  commandments,  decorate 


Dispensary 


the  front  wall,  and  a  side  niche  provides  a  few  benches  for  the 
healthy  emphryees  and  their  Families,  otherwise  there  is  no  furni¬ 
ture.  But  the  spiritual  atmosphere  prevailing  and  the  religious  re¬ 
sults  achieved  in  this  place  are  a  nobler  furnishing. 

'Pile  class  before  us  are  le])ers  who  have  asked  to  he  prepared 
for  baptism.  No  one  coming  to  the  asylum  is  in  any  way  forced  in 
religious  matters,  but  practically  every  leper,  after  a  short  time  in 
the  institution  comes  forward  to  be  admitted  to  the  church.  The 
love  they  experience  from  the  hands  of  ('hristians,  after  having 
been  disowned  by  the  members  of  their  own  religion,  leads  them  to 
Him  who  has  implanted  this  love  into  the  hearts  of  His  followers, 
d'hus  there  is  always  a  large  class  under  instruction,  -wdiich  is  given 
by  the  superintendent  with  the  help  of  an  evangelist.  The  instruc¬ 
tion  must  necessarily  be  simple,  being  restricted  to  the  life  of 


19  — 


Clii’ist,  the  Lord's  Prayer.  tlu‘  ten  (•oiiiinandnieiits,  and  a  sim[)le 
(tiitline  of  l)il)le  teaehiny.  Sonudiiues  even  tliis  is  more  than  many 
of  the  simple  folks  can  i:ras[).  Thus  it  once  hap])ened  that  an  old 
mother  of  over  sixty,  who  simply  conld  not  memori/ce  some  of  the 
li'ssons.  and  therefore  had  heim  put  hack  repeatedly,  linally  asktal 
wliether  the  matter  conld  not  h(‘  adjusted  lyv  <>'ivin,y  her  just  a  lit¬ 
tle  l)it  of  haptism,  because  she  conld  learn  only  ])art  of  the  lessons: 
sIk'  declared  she  wotdd  Ix'  satisfied  with  only  !i  few  drops  (d‘  water. 

In  spit(‘  of  such  oceiirrences.  it  is  a  pleasure  to  note  how  well 
many  le[)ers  arci  accjuainted  with  the  IJihle.  .Mr.  \\hii>yi()ner  impdrcss 
wlu'ther  tve  wish  to  test  tlui  class  Indore  ns.  and  accord! noly  we  ask 
him.  to  have  one  man  relate  an  incident  from  the  life  of  (’hrist, 
another  to  recite  th(‘  Loixl's  I’rawn-.  and  oiu'  of  tlu'  woimm  to  r('- 


Interior,  Women’s  Ward 

rile  a  hymn.  'Fhe  promptiu'Ss  with  whii-h  the  answers  come  as¬ 
sures  ns  that  lessons  are  well  h'arned.  altho  we  understand  noth¬ 
ing  of  what  is  said.  Wc*  ask  Mr.  \\’ayy()n(.i-  wlu'ther  th(“  (Jospel 
teachings  prove  to  Innc  an  ('tfert  upon  the  lives  of  tlu'  h'pt'rs  and 
are  assurcxl  that  it  has.  In  fart  it  is  t  hr  |)hasr  of  work  anionust 
h'pers  which  hi-inys  tiu'  most  satisfaction.  In  tem[»oral  matt('rs  we 
ran  at  best  briny  them  sonu'  reliid'  in  tlu'  last  f(‘W  years  of  life, 
while  th('  spiritual  yrowth  that  is  often  observed  is  niarv(‘llous. 
(tuteast  lepei-s  ari'  often  most  (piarrelsome  and  vicious,  (‘ven  crim¬ 
inal  people,  feariny  neither  (lod  nor  man,  hut  most  of  those  in  the 
asylum  Ix'eoiiK'  kind,  lu'lpful  and  obedient.  It  is  wonderful  how 
lives  are  ehanyc'd  thru  the  (iospel.  how  even  these  lowest  outcasts 
can  he  raised  and  sa\X‘(l  hv  Christ.  .\nd  if  manv  Christians  in  the 


asylum  lag  beliiud  tlieir  brc'tli('eii  in  America  as  I'ar  as  iiiteliectual 
nmlei’staiKliug'  of  ( 'bristianity  is  eoneeriUMl,,  tluy  ofteii  excel  in  a 
simple  strung  faith  in  Jesus,  and  timst  and  hope  in  (lod.” 

Oil  Sunday’s  tlic  chiircli  is  a  crowded  ])lace.  There  is  liarely 
room  foi-  the  wliole  congregation,  for  every  one  who  can  manage  to 
be  up  and  about  wants  to  go  to  cbiircb.  Tbo  tlu'  singing  is  not  very 
melodious,  as  most  lepers  have  lioarse  voices,  it  makes  up  in  fervor 
what  it  lacks  in  beauty,  /lhajdns,  or  Obristian  songs  set  to  Indian 
melody,  ar(‘  most  beloved,  tho  the  lepers  would  not  be  (Mubarrassed 
when  called  uj)on  to  sing  a  Western  hymn,  such  as  Jesus,  Saviour, 
Pilot  l\Ie.  All  songs  must  be  memorized,  of  course,  as  only  two  or 
ibree  inmates  of  tbe  institution  are  able  to  read.  Tb(‘  sermon  de- 
livenal  by  tbe  missionary  must  lit*  simple  and  adaptcal  to  tbe  knowl- 

I 


1. 


Church  in  Asylum 


edge  of  tlH‘  audience,  and  abound  iii  illustrations.  'Flu'  close  at¬ 
tention  always  paid  by  tbe  h'pm-s  shows  how  they  comprehend  and 
appreciate  tlu*  sermon.  Xo  service  is  closed  without  an  olfering  b(>- 
ing  takmi,  for  the  lepers  are  taught  and  arc'  glad  to  give'.  It  is 
surprising  that  they  are  able  to  save  anything  out  of  tludr  meagi'r 
allowance  of  only  four  pecks  of  i’ic('  and  foitv-tive  cents  a  month. 
,\everth(‘l(‘ss  tlu'  oiferings  in  a  year  amount  to  ov('r  -tloO  and  an' 
sufficient  to  pay  the  salary  of  the  asylum  evangidist  and  foi-  suh- 
stantial  cont  I'ibut  ions  to  the  Bible  Society  and  Christian  'Tract  So¬ 
ciety. 


'21 


On  Sunday  afternoons  Sunday  school  is  held,  which  has  ai? 
(‘nrolhnent  of  over  three  Imndred.  ddio  in  organization  and  e(iuij)- 
ment  it  lags  inueh  hehind  suc-h  institutions  in  America,  the  resnlt 
ac-hieved  is  often  more  satisfactory.  During  the  week  morning 
prayers  are  held  early  every  day,  hy  which  the  spiritual  life  of  the 
inmates  is  much  henefited.  It  is  interesting  to  know  that  on  om* 
occasion  when  the  lepers  wen'  askeil  to  ((note  the  Bihle  verse  he 
or  slu‘  liked  Ix'st,  the  following  were  amongst  t!ie  answers;  Itejoiee 
in  the  Lord  always;  as  one  whom  his  mother  comforteth,  so  will  I 
comfort  you  ;  and,  they  that  sow  in  tears  will  reap  in  joy. 

Krom  the  church  vve  move  on  to  the  hospital.  'Phis  is  a  large 
building  of  ])leasing  architectural  design.  As  we  pass  along  the 


'aiiNiaHirtii ; 

feiywroaxtipin 


Altar  in  Church 


vtuanda  we  sei‘  thi'u  the  windows  two  large  high  rooms  with  Ihxirs 
of  c(‘ment.  On  cots  a  number  of  patieids  are  lying  who  are  hrought 
here  from  the  wards  because  the  disease  has  progressed  so  fai'  that 
they  cannot  help  themselves.  The  nursing  is  done  voluntarilv  bv 
some  of  their  leper  friends.  Sonu*  small  reward  as  an  e.xtra  piece 
of  (doth  may  he  given  at  (’hristmas  to  those  rendering  such  e.xtra 
scu'vice.  The  medical  treatment  is  given  by  a  trained  Indian  doc¬ 
tor,  employed  by  the  mission.  Such  doctors  are,  however,  verv 
.scarce,  and  it  is  dillicult  to  find  one  willing  to  treat  leper  patients. 
'The  superintendent  therefore  is  fre(iuently  minus  the  aid  of-  a 


trained  doctor,  and  then  the  duty  of  >;u[)ervisinfi  the  medical  work 
r(‘sts  entirely  upon  him. 

Most  cases  brought  to  the  hospital  are  so  far  advanced  that  it 
is  usually  only  a  matter  of  giving  as  much  relief  as  possible  before'* 
the  ('ltd  comes.  Mo  cure  for  leprosy  lias  as  yet  been  found.  All 
that  can  be  done  is  giving  relief  and  checking  somewhat  the  rajiifl 
development  (d'  the  disease.  The  death  rate  in  the  asylum  there¬ 
fore  is  naturally  high.  The  numher  that  is  put  to  ri'st  in  the  eem- 
eterv  at  a  small  distance  behind  the  asylum  exeei'ds  se\'ciuy-!Ive 
per  yeai'.  How  sad  v’ould  he  tiu'  work  among  h'jiers  if  the  eye  of 
faith  could  not  ])iei’c(*  the  veil,  and  st'e  these  mutilated  hodii's  arise 


Supervising  the  Dressing  of  Wounds 


cleansed  and  clothed  in  heavenly  splendor  on  the  day  (d'  ressurec- 
tion.  The  great  majority  of  those  who  have  passed  thru  the  asylum 
have  left  believing  fully  in  a  new  life  to  come  where  “death  shall 
be  no  more,  neither  shall  there  be  mourning,  nor  crying,  nor  pain 
any  more.” 

T)ut  medical  men  still  hope  to  lind  a  cure  for  le|)rosy.  Many 
experiments  arc'  lieing  made  and  our  asyhtni  helps  in  this  work. 
Hrc'at  hope's  were'  placc'd  in  Xastine  and  Antih'prolin,  I'c'tuedic'S  de- 


vised  on  a  sejaim  principle,  but  both  proved  to  be  failures  in  our 
asyJuni  as  elsewliere.  'I'lu'  l)est  i-esidts  so  far  liave  been  aeliievi'd 
l)y  treatments  wilb  the  old  and  well  known  Cliaulnioo^ara  oil.  'I’lio 
no  cures  have  resulted,  its  regular  iisi-  combined  with  nourisliiny' 
diet  and  antiseptic  care  of  the  wounds,  uives  miieli  r(‘li(d‘  and  elu'eks 
to  soni(‘  extent  the  rapid  advaiaa*  of  h'prosy.  d’be  lunvest  ti'<‘at- 
ments  ar(‘  modifications  of  this  oil.  An  extraction  from  Chaulmoo- 
,ura  calk'd  sodium  ^'vnocaialite,  la'iipu'  dissolved  and  inj(‘eted  into  the 
muscles  and  V(‘ins  is'at  pix'seiit  beine:  l(‘st('d  at  tlu'  asylum. 

W’bik'  sbowiii”'  us  thru  the  hospital  Mix  Wa^'^oner  has  bemi 
yivinii-  us  tlu'se  explanations  and  we  have  arrived  at  tlu'  dis])ensary. 
Mere,  back  of  the  hospital,  we  find  a  gToup  of  le])ers  and  the  In¬ 
dian  doctor  busy  dispensing'  niedieitu's  to  them.  One  has  tonsilitis. 
another  trouble  with  bis  ('ves,  and  a  tbii'd  asks  for  la/ida  (/(iii'di. 
cold  mediciiK',  as  a  well  known  laxative  is  i)opularly  known  in  In¬ 
dia.  Olf  to  tlu'  side  tbrei'  leper  nu'U  sit  busily  enpi^'t'd  in  eleaniny' 
and  bandayiny  wounds.  A  small  niouutaiu  of  bandayes  lies  la'side 
them,  for  the  number  of  pati('uts  they  attend  to  in  a  day  is  yi'cat. 
In  a  box  m-ai'  tbi'in  are  a  numla'r  of  instruments  which  they  use  to 
amputate'  (k'cayc'd  finyei's  and  toes  and  sometimes  whole  hands. 
'I'hrii  mueb  ('xpm  ic'nei'  tlu'se'  nu'ii  ha\  ('  be'eome  very  skill  ful  in  their 
woi'k. 

W’e  pass  thru  this  busy  see'iie  to  anotlier  inte'restiny  buildiny 
called  the  shop  oi'  store,  situate'd  Ix'hind  the  hospital.  Ih'n'  can 
be  seen  buye  stocks  of  rie'c,  for  each  Friday,  wlu'ii  (‘ve'ry  inmate'  eef 
the  institutie)!!  receives  a  pe'e-k  eef  rice,  a  small  ineumtain  of  yrain  is 
distrileuted.  This  weekly  pc'ck  eef  rice  with  twe)  sets  eef  cloth iny  ami 
forty-live  cents  a  month  is  all  that  the  lepers  re'erive.  It  weeuld 
be  impe)ssible  feer  Europeans  tee  live  eeii  such  an  alleewance,  but  the* 
lepers  are  very  e-eeiitent,  feer  this  is  more  than  tlu'v  eve*r  had  befeere'. 
The  forty-five  cents  a  me)nth  must  suffice  fe)r  all  the  pep|)er,  salt, 
lentiles,  wood  and  other  extras  a  leper  may  want,  and  still  they 
inanaye  to  save  sonu'thiny  for  the  chui'ch  olferiny  and  for  a  rainy 
day. 

V.  In  the  Ward  for  WOmen 

W’e  next  wish  to  see  tlu'  le])ers  in  their  homes,  ajid  so  pass 
thru  a  yate  into  tiu'  eiu'losnix'  reservi'd  for  wonu'ii.  'hhe  c('nt('r  of 
this  enclosure  forms  a  larye  open  space  laid  out  in  lawns  with  a 
number  of  tiowei'  beds.  At  oiu'  ('iid  is  a  hiyh  well  where  healtby 
nu'n  are  ('inployi'd  to  draw  water  into  a  tank.  Fi'om  bere  the  women 
an'  allowed  to  help  themselvt's,  whih'  for  those  who  cannot  carry 
their  own  wal(‘rpots,  water  is  brouyht  to  the  wards.  On  two  sides 
of  the  opi'ii  space  aiv  sinyle  rows  of  buildinys,  while  on  the  third 
sid('  there  ai'e  tbr('(‘  rows.  These  twenty-four  buildinys  are  similar 

•Jt 


ill  sliapi',  built  of  stune  and  covuTod  witli  |■(‘(!  tile.  Mauli  building; 
contains  tlireo  rooms,  r^\12,  witli  a  \(‘ran(bi  in  I'ront  and  is  de¬ 
signed  to  aceoniinodate  tweh'e  patients. 

'I'lie  women  have  lieard  that  visiiors  are  eomiipu'.  for  as  we  en¬ 
ter.  a  (b'leitation  of  leaders  is  s(‘en  near  tlu‘  entranee.  d'hey  lun'e 
pul  on  tiudr  \erv  l)est  sY/r/.s.  and  liavi'  used  an  extra  amount  of  oil 
in  eoinbiiiit  their  blaek  hair,  so  that  it  in  tlu‘  sunshine.  l*oor 

folks,  they  know  that  they  are  not  to  touch  us.  therefore  they  stand 
respectfully  away  from  the  xvalk.  Ibmdaoes.  seen  here  and  tlim’e, 
r(‘mind  ns  of  ulcers  that  must  be  siillered.  d’ludr  I1ny;erless  hands 
and  other  (h'fonuitic's  are  hidden  as  much  as  possible  by  tiudr  cloth¬ 
ing.  It  i^  plainly  e\idenl  that  these  are  sick  people,  but  as  wc 


Mr.  Anderson  and  Assistants 

peer  into  tladr  faces  we  notice  more  of  content  and  hajipiness  than 
of  sulferiny.  Sui'oly  a  wonderful  transformation  as  com[)ared  with 
those*  w<!  met  at  the  gate  begging  for  admission! 

'The  leader  of  the  delegation  is  lUiijnu,  who  greets  and  wel¬ 
comes  us  in  the  name  of  her  sisters  to  the  asylum.  Mr.  Waggoner 
translates  her  words  for  us.  Bayan  also  xvislies  to  know  where  our 
home  is,  what  the  ohjeet  of  our  visit  is,  whetlu‘r  we  have  families, 
and  otlu'r  things,  for  the  lepers  are  iiiti'rested  in  every  one  that 
shows  an  iiitei-est  in  them.  After  wr*  have  satisfied  her  curiosity 
as  much  as  wi*  see  lit,  we  pass  on  to  the  first  ward.  The  inmates 


art'  lined  u])  and  waiting  to  greet  us  with  a  friendly  salaam.  As 
we  chat  with  these  folks  we  can  observe  leprosy  in  all  its  stages. 
W'hile  many  do  not  seem  to  suffer  much,  others  can  barely  stand 
upright,  and  we  are  told  of  some  confined  to  their  rooms.  We  no¬ 
tice  that  two  of  the  women  whenever  s])oken  to,  always  hide  their 
faces  behind  their  saris.  Mr.  M'aggoner  e.xplains  that  these  are 
newcomers,  and  that  their  action  is  but  the  expression  of  the  re¬ 
serve  Indian  women  naturally  feel  iji  tlie  presence  of  men. 

ddnis  we  j)ass  on  to  the  second  ward  and  then  to  the  third, 
for  we  dare  skip  none,  for  fear  that  the  inmates  will  feel  slighted. 
On  the  veranda  of  one  ward  we  notice  some  rags  lying  about.  It  is 
only  necessary  for  Mr.  Waggoner  to  point  to  them  without  a  word. 
Immediately  one  of  the  women  })icks  them  u|)  and  takes  them  away, 
for  cleanliness  is  one  of  the  lessons  taught  in  the  avsylum.  As  we 
peer  into  the  rooms  we  notice  that  order  is  observed  everywhere. 
'Phe  wooden  cots  are  placed  upidgiit  in  the  corner.  'Phe  clay  fire- 
plac(!s  ai'e  kept  clean,  and  every  lej)er  woman  has  ac(juired  a  box 
in  whic'h  she  kee{)s  her  clothing  and  pcissessions. 

.\t  anotlu'i'  ward  \va  notice  a  woman  carrying  a  boy  of  about 
thr(‘(‘  years  on  lu'i'  hips.  She  is  ('videidly  proud  of  her  son,  for  he 
is  a  healthy  looking  chap  in  s|)ite  of  the  fact  that  his  mother,  who 
has  nui’sed  him  to  this  day,  is  a  leper.  'Pho  we  examine  him  closely, 
not  the  least  sign  ol’  li'prosy  can  be  discovered.  How  fortunate 
that  leprosy  is  not  heri'ditarv.  and  that  childivn  seem  to  be  immune 
to  infection  until  they  is'ach  the  age  of  four  or  five.  Women  often 
bring,  babies  with  them  when  they  enter  the  asylum.  They  are 
perixiitted  to  keep  their  babies  until  thy  reach  the  age  of  foui-  and 
then  are  re(iuested  to  ])lace  them  in  the  observation  ward,  where 
the  childi-en  ai'e  kept  until  they  can  safely  hv  put  into  the  home  for 
untaintc'd  children,  rsually  the  mothei’s  suhmit  to  the  separation, 
hut  cas(>s  have  occurred  where  the  imPher  would  rather  leave  tlu' 
asylum  than  give  up  tlu*  child. 

One  of  tiu'  wards  which  we  visit  is  the  (Jovernment  ward  foi‘ 
woiiK'H.  d'hes('  patients  are  treated  just  as  the  other  h'pers,  with 
the  exception  that  tlu'v  are  not  pi'rmitted  to  leave  tlu'  asylum.  An- 
otlu'i-  ward  is  of  gi'cat  inti'rest  to  us.  Here  some  twelve  girls  are 
liiu'd  up  ranging  in  age  fi-om  six  to  eighteen.  How  sad  is  their  lot. 
for  tlu'V  are  all  lepers.  Som(‘  show  as  yet  only  tlu*  Pirst  signs,  oth¬ 
ers  h:iv(‘  already  dc'velopt'd  ulcers,  while  a  fi*w  have  lost  a  finger  oi- 
more.  Siki,  a  bright  and  dependahle  young  woman,  who  herself 
was  raised  in  this  home,  is  a  mother  to  these  girls.  For  some  hours 
daily  they  attend  tlu*  leper  school,  and  the  rest  of  the  time  are  al¬ 
lowed  to  play.  Siki.  Hayan.  and  the  missionary  try  to  help  tlu'in 
forget  their  sad  lot  as  much  as  possible.  .Vbout  six  leper  boys  lead 


a  similar  life  in  one  of  tlie  rooms  of  the  men’s  ward.  Some  are  or¬ 
phans,  others  have  a  father  or  mother  living  in  the  asylnm.  Oiu' 
bo}^  was  found,  his  body  covered  with  le])er  ulvers,  in  a  bazaar  with 
nobody  to  claim  him.  Kachri,  a  girl,  came  as  a  baby  to  the  asylum. 
When  at  the  pro])er  age,  the  mother  would  not  consent  to  placing 
her  in  the  untainted  home,  hut  rather  left  the  asylum.  After  a 
year  she  returned.  Kachri  had  in  the  meanwhile  develo[)ed  lep¬ 
rosy  and  had  to  be  ])laced  with  the  leper  children.  It  is  not  alwa3^'^ 
easy  to  help  these  poor  children  forget  their  sad  i)light.  A  small 
girl  whose  case  was  much  advanced  and  who  sntfered  much  pain 
was  so  depressed  that  nothing  seemed  to  make  her  happy.  Kven 
tlu'  stories  of  Jesus  made  no  im])i‘ession  upon  her.  until  one  day 


One  of  the  Buildings  of  Women’s  Ward 


the  missionaries  daughter  |)resented  her  nicest  doll  to  this  girl. 
That  broke  the  ice,  and  since  then  this  h'per  giid  has  learned  to 
believe  in  love,  and  has  herself  become  a  lo\(dy  character. 

Two  looms  of  a  ward  are  occupied  by  the  leper  girls.  'The 
third  room  is  also  of  great  interest.  Altho  we  see  no  cots  and  no 
fireplaces,  there  are  evidences  that  the  room  is  much  used,  d’lu' 
floor  is  carefully  plastered  and  on  the  walls  hang  a  number  of  col¬ 
ored  Bible  pictures.  It  is  a  prayer  room  I'cserved  for  this  pur])ose 
by  special  reipiest  of  the  women.  tMany  a  secret  jirayer  is  otl'ere<l 
here  during  the  day,  and  this  is  the  place  where  Bayan  on  her  own 
iniative  takes  the  movcomers  to  give  them  their  first  instructions 
in  (Christianity. 

We  have  nearly  completed  the  rounds  of  the  women's  wards. 
Our  leader  has  had  much  to  do,  as  besides  answei'ing  all  our  (pies- 


rioiis,  Ih‘  also  had  to  listen  to  man}’  re(]iiests  from  tlie  wojueii.  Sev¬ 
eral  times  he  was  asktnl  to  enter  a  room  for  a  prayer  with  some  very 
siek  patient.  Sev(>ral  women  have  asked  for  ])ermission  to  make  a 
short  visit  with  some  relatives  in  their  home  village.  -Vt  intervals 
such  ])ernnssion  is  given,  l)eeause  it  helps  to  make  the  inmates  more 
contented.  It  is  wonderful  that  these  lej»ers,  altho  one(‘  east  out  of 
house  and  home,  still  retain  some  love  foi‘  their  relatives.  A  nuither 
may  even  manage  to  save  a  little  from  her  nuaiger  allowance  for  a 
son  or  daughter  living  in  the  villages.  l>ut  now  we  must  hurry 
on  1(»  th(‘  men's  ward,  or  we  will  not  have,  finished  before  evening. 

VI.  The  Wards  for  Men 

Passing  over  tlu^  lawn  in  front  of  the  ehnreh  and  hosj)ital.  we 
come  to  the  wards  foi‘  men.  These  are  not  surrounded  hy  enelos- 
ur('s,  excepting  the  wire  fence  that  runs  around  tlu*  entire  asylum. 
'rh(‘  wards  for  men  contain  six  rooms  each,  and  aeeommodat(‘  twim- 
ty-four  patients.  The  eight  wards  are  built  in  two  I'ows  with  suf- 
(ieient  space  in  between  to  give  the  i)atients  [)lenty  of  air.  'rite  hist 
two  wards  were  erected  by  th(‘  (Jovernment.  and  in  them  are  placed 
the  lejjers  sent  by  the  courts.  While  there  are  nearly  three  hundred 
women,  there  tire  only  a  hundred  and  fifty  men  in  the  asylum,  diU' 
to  the  fjiet  thiif  a  woman,  jiftt'r  heeoming  a  leper,  is  more'  (juiekly 
turned  out  of  Itouse  and  home  thiin  a  m:in.  'I'lie  life  of  a  beggar  is 
also  more  (‘as_v  to  :i  man  than  it  woman,  and  tluM'rd’ort'  the  h'per 
wonum  set'k  the  sludttir  of  the  Jtsyluni  sooner  than  th(‘  num. 

We  notice  that  the  men  have  also  hetird  of  onr  eoming,  itnd 
have  prejiared  a  special  weleonu*  for  us.  .\s  we  approiieh  their 
wards,  \v(‘  ln‘ar  something  that  resemhles  mnsie.  .\nxions  to  hear 
what  this  may  meiin.  we  pass  t!u‘  first  wards  to  the  middle  of  the 
eomponnd,  and  then*  see  a  large  group  (d‘  men  si'atcal  in  a  circle  on 
tlu'  grass.  In  the  eenfer  of  the  circle  a  man  with  a  hirge  long  tlruni, 
suspended  from  his  n(‘ek.  is  seen  moving  about  with  :i  rhythniie 
step  while  hetiting  his  drum  at  both  ends  with  his  hands.  Around 
tihoiit  him  a  dozen  iikm;  :tr(‘  moving  in  different  directions,  some  of 
them  he.iting  eynihals.  and  all  of  them  tdianting  a  song.  .Many  of 
th<-  num  seated  on  the  grtiss  are  <tlso  singing,  while  the  otluu's  art' 
intently  listening  fo  what  is  going  on. 

Can  these  men.  .st'emingly  so  joyful,  all  he  under  the  awfid 
tlooin  of  leprosy!"  ^’es.  they  tirt'.  d'host*  in  the  center  are  such 
with  whom  the  disetise  is  not  jidvaneed,  while  tin*  others  sitting 
about  are  too  wt'ak  or  otherwise  physically  unable  to  take  pai't  in 
ihe  exercise.  'Tlit'  men  enjoy  such  doings  vt'iy  mueh.  Pvt'ry 
morning  after  they  have  performed  their  daily  tasks — for  all  lejaws 
who  are  physically  abh*  to  do  so  are  retpiired  to  help  in  ket'ping 


tlu!  grounds  clean  and  ])erfonning  similar  easy  labor — they  will 
gather  in  grou})S  to  amuse  themselves.  IMusic  takes  an  ynportaut 
part  in  their  entertainment.  Many  o!  the  men  have  become  experts 
with  the  drum  and  cynihles.  while  some  even  try  to  perform  on  a 
small  Indian  violin.  The  songs  they  sing  are  usually  hhajans,  the 
Christian  songs  set  to  old  hidian  melodies,  so  much  beloved  by 
Hindus. 

Now  the  men  are  performing  for  our  benefit.  As  we  wateli 
ihem  we  notice  the  keen  eiijoymejit  seen  in  most  face's.  We  cannot 
hut  thi)d<  how  much  better  off  these  men  are  in  the  asylum  than  if 
they  were  still  roaming  the  villages.  Suddenly  the  music  comes 
to  a  halt,  ddie  singers  bring  out  a  ringing  jai  j(ti !  tVhieli  uu'aus 


Leper  Women  in  Asylum 


Hail,  Hail  1  And  which  is  taken  up  ami  eoutinued  by  all  the  iiu'ui- 
bers  of  the  group.  This  is  oui’  we'leoiiu'  and  we  are  e'xpected  to 
make  a  little  speech,  d'his  we  do,  telling  tlu'in  of  oui‘  jov  in  seeing 
them  so  happy  and  contented.  We  expi'ess  to  them  the  love  of 
their  friends  beyond  the  ocean,  and  point  to  the  fh'ieml  abeve.  who 
made  a.  greater  sacrifice  for  us  all  than  any  earthly  friend  ever 
can.  .Mr.  Waggoner  inter[)rets  (»nr  speec-li  as  well  as  that  of  l>aya- 
dau,  who  mak(‘s  a  fitting  answer  in  t)eha]f  of  the  lepet's. 

While  we  now  ])ass  around  the  difl'erenf  wards  ijispeeting  the 
rooms  with  their  roughly  made  beds  of  bamboos  and  grass  ropes, 
-Mr.  Waggoner  tells  us  a  story  of  Dayadan.  Ih*  was  a  nu'nd)er  (jf 
the  Chamar  caste,  which  is  so  numero\is  in  (Mdiattisgarh.  and  of 
which  w('  have  nioi'e  representtdives  in  the  asylum  than  of  any 


2!) 


other.  This  caste  is  much  despised  hy  other  Hindus,  as  they  orig¬ 
inally  had  that  so  inneh  despised  oecu})ation  of  skinning  dead  ani¬ 
mals.  Many  ('hainars  are  thieves  and  criminals  l)y  profession. 
'Pheir  lives  are  very  immoral,  many  i)raetiees  connected  with  tludr 
religion  heing  .so  vile  that  they  cannot  l)e  deserihed.  Still,  many  of 
our  best  converts  come  from  this  low  caste.  In  Dayadan’s  youth  he 
heeanie  ae(iuainted  with  a  witch  doctor  from  whom  he  learned  the 
art  of  maL’ie.  Ihiyadan  still  believes  that  he  onec'  [los.^^iissed  sujau- 
natural  |)owei-s  at  that  time.  Ih*  went  about  fi-om  |)laee  to  place 
perfoiuiiing  luiiaeles,  having  spi'cial  powers  to  cure  snakebite.  Foi' 
a  while  all  W('nl  w(‘li  and  Dayadaii  became  tpiite  w('althy.  'I'heii 
suddenly  misfortune  came,  h'prosy  developed,  he  spent  all  hi.'- 
money  in  attempting  cures,  and  lu*  heeanie  a  wandering  beggar. 
Dayadan  beli(‘ves  bis  misfoi'tunes  were  due  to  the  jealousy  of  the 
('vil  powers  lu'  onta*  .seived.  During  his  wamhu'ings  he  heard  of  our 
l('|)(‘r  asylum  where  he  fimnd  a  shelter  and  soon  felt  thoroly  at 
home.  He  took  great  interest  in  the  religious  instruction,  learned 
('.xeeedingly  well,  and  what  is  moi-e  important,  contact  with  Christ 
changed  his  (mtire  life,  and  he  became  a  tboro  Cbiistian.  !1(‘ 
gained  a  position  of  great  intiuenec'  among  bis  ft'llow  sulTercus  in 
the  a.sylum,  became  their  leadci'  and  spokesman  and  could  always 
be  counted  upon  to  sujiport  the  .superintendent  in  all  matters.  Dav- 
adan  had  sjieeial  gifts  of  music;  he  organized  a  little  liand.  and  was 
a  leader  of  all  the  singing  in  and  out  of  church. 

Of  eonr.se,  i\Ir.  Waggonei’  continues,  not  all  uum  are  as  reliable 
as  Dayadan,  jusl  as  among  the  women  there  ai'e  some  that  causi' 
the  superintendent  worries.  Some  are  often  given  to  (|uarrelin'_'’. 
others  are  tcunpted  t(>  steal.  It  is  not  always  easy  to  discover  tlu* 
guilty  one,  but  when  discovered,  discipline  is  necessary.  Dsually 
a  light  ])unishment.  such  as  withholding  .some  rice  or  money,  suf- 
(iees  to  settle  the  matter.  Very  seldom  e\|)ulsion  is  necessary. 
Freipiently  a  leper  is  carried  away  by  his  wandei'lust  to  leave  tlu' 
asylum.  After  several  months  they  usually  leturn,  begging  to  lx* 
taken  in  again.  If  asked  why  they  left  tlu'  asylum,  they  usually 
answer:  Man  ndas  Ito  (/ai/ia.  which  translat(‘d  literally  nu'ans:  My 
heart  heeanie  sad,  hut  figuratively  e.\'))resses  that  the  desire  for  ihc 
free  life  onei'  livi'd  in  roaming  about  the  villages  tempted  tluaii  un¬ 
til  they  could  not  resisc.  Hnless  the  le])er  has  hd't  tlu*  asylum  too 
freipiently,  he  will  he  readmitted  after  a  small  line  has  been  plaei'd 
upon  him.  With  such  characters,  much  patient  woi'k  is  necessary. 
Patient  treatment,  comliined  with  continued  instruction  from  tin* 
Word  of  (Jod  usually  results  in  building  up  Christian  charaeti'r. 

While  missionary  Waggoner  has  lieen  giving  us  the  detaiD. 
w(“  have  reached  the  last  of  the  men's  wards,  and  arc  now  ready  to 


tlu'  asyliiiM  lo  inspet-r  the  lioiiics  lor  imtaiiiled  childi'eii.  W'c 
lia\(‘  looked  n|)oii  many  lack's.  W’e  liav(‘  scum  ilicre,  deep  liaees 
ol  pa'^t  sulh'riip'H’  and  misery.  A\  (>  liave  also  nolie(‘d  mneli  hodilv 
sufteriiiii-  wldeli  is  beyond  human  power  of  relief.  Hut  as  we  look 
deeper  we  notice  that  underlyin'^-  it  all  there  is  ymieral  contentment 
and  happinc'^s.  .Vn  official  who  once  visited  the  asvliim  wi'ote  into 
tlu'  visitors'  hook  that  lu'  saw  more  ,i;-ennin('  happiiu'ss  Ilian  e,'en- 
m-allv  found  in  India.  What  a  splendid  testimony  to  tiie  (diiistian 
service  otfered  in  tlu'  institution!  Christ's  love,  a  -  e.\|)ressed  thi-n 
th(>  s('r\  iees  ot  1 1  is  ministei-s,  ehanyes  the  misery  of  h'prosv  to  eon- 
ien  inmit  in  thi'  will  ol  (Jod,  and  the  dc'cpi'st  dospaii'  into  faith 
and  hope  of  a  helter  future. 


Untainted  Boys  of  Leper  Parents 


VII.  The  Homes  for  Untainted  Children 

We  now  leave  the  asylum  hy  the  same  gate  used  on  entering,  and 
pass  along-  the  walk  to  the  right,  jiassing  a  numher  of  homes,  for 
asylum  (‘inployei's.  llcnv  live  the  families  of  tin*  eanOaker.  evan¬ 
gelist  and  doetoi-  of  the  asylum.  Wv  lak(‘  the  oppoitunitv  to  speak 
with  some  of  them  and  jneet  the  wife  of  the  evangelist,  who  is  em- 
[iloyed  as  a  Jfihle  woman  and  visits  the  sick  women  who  cannot  at- 
t(Mid  the  .services.  .Soon  we  reach  the  Certi-nde  Home  foi-  (iirls, 
whic'h  consists  of  a  few  huildings  sni-i-ounded  hv  a  sfom*  wall.  As 
wi‘  approach  tlu'  same,  onr  nunnories  are  eari-ied  hack  to  childhood 
days,  for  do  we  not  hear  the  familiar  words;  “A  tasket,  a  green 
and  yellow  basket;  1  .sent  a  hdter  to  my  loV(',  and  on  the  wav  I 
lost  it.”  As  W('  come  nearer,  however,  we  recognize  that  tlu*  words 
ai'e  not  Mnglish,  hut  Hindi  oiu's  n.sed  to  the  well-known  tune.  As 

—  :’.l 


wi!  pass  thru  the  entrance  we  see  a  gi'oiip  of  girls  playing  drop  tlie 
liaiulkerchief,  just  as  it  is  played  in  America.  Yes,  they  love  to 
play,  these  dark-eyed  daughters  of  India,  in  their  j)ictures(|ue  In¬ 
dian  costumes.  Who  are  these  forty  girls  who  have  found  such  a 
haj)py  lionu'?  d’hey  one  and  all  ai'e  children  of  leper  parents. 
Some  have  a  le])er  mother,  othei’s  a  leper  father,  while  both  par¬ 
ents  of  some  are  lepers.  Here  a  home  has  been  provided  for  them 
wheiv  tlu'v  an'  safe  from  infection,  which  they  could  hardly  e.-^cape 
had  tlu'V  remained  with  their  parents. 

We  watch  the  lai-ger  girls  at  their  play,  while  some  of  tiu* 
smaller  ones,  harely  five  years  old,  look  up  to  us  with  such  ap])ealing 
eyes  that  we  cannot  refrain  from  picking  them  uj)  and  fondling 
them.  'Then  the  girls  are  asked  to  sing  us  some  song.s,  which  they 
are  glad  to  do.  Next  we  inspect  the  huildings,  going  thru  the  lai'ge 
dormitoiT  where  neatly  folded  bedding  along  the  walls  shows  whei'c 
the  girls  sleep  on  the  floor,  passing  to  the  kitchen  where  some  of 
the  oldei'  girls  pre[)are  the  meals  for  tlu'  whole  household,  and  along 
ihe  w'id('  veranda  wheie  the  girls  play  during  the  rainy  season. 
Mach  girl  has  a  little  hox  and  we  ask  one  or  two  of  them  to  show 
us  thei]'  treasure's.  'Flu'V  reveal  to  us  several  sarie.s,  or  dressc's,  a 
new  one  for  Sunday,  and  se'veral  old  ones  to  he  worn  while  at  work, 
an  old  well  woi'ii  doll,  h'ft  over  fj'om  last  Chi'isfinas,  and  a  nc'ck- 

lac('  of  glass  heads,  the  gift  of  a  fond  mother. 

'This  honu'  is  the  spc'cial  sphere  of  the  superintendc'iit's  wib', 
and  as  Mrs.  Waggoner  had  to  leave  us  .<ome  tinu'  before  to  atti'iid 
lo  household  duties,  Mrs.  Koenig,  who  foi-  some  time  has  had  charat' 
of  flu'  home  answers  the  many  (pU'Stions  we  havi;  to  ask.  Slu'  t('lls 
us  how  the  girls  spend  their  days. 

In  tlu'  morning  the}’  are  u])  (piite  early  hut  do  not  I'at  break¬ 
fast  at  once  like  childn'ii  in  America.  YIk'}’  wash  and  take  gi'('at 

pains  in  oiling  their  hc'autiful  black  hair  until  it  is  smooth  and 
glossy.  'I’hey  also  nev('r  fail  to  clean  their  tecdh,  for  which  they  use 
a  new  brush  every  day.  Hindus  cannot  understand  how  Kuroi>eans 
can  u.se  a  tooth  brush  for  a  long  time.  The  brush  used  in  India  is  , 
howi'N'er  not  as  expensive,  In'ing  made  of  the  ci'ushed  end  of  a  twig 
each  morning  by  tlu'  usc'r.  After  tidying  up  the  honu',  tlu'  gii'ls 
huri’V  off  to  school,  which  Ix'gins  at  .seven  o'clock. 

All  the  girls  attend  the  mi.ssion  village  school  for  girls,  d'here 
ai-('  six  clas.ses  beside  the  infant  class.  'Fliis  is  calk'd  a  vernacular  mid¬ 
dle  .school  and  is  the  only  one  of  its  kind  in  Drug,  a  district  of  6'^S,- 
(100  population,  d'here  an',  however,  about  twenty  girls'  schools  iiji  to 
the  fourth  class,  called  primary  schools  in  this  district.  In  the  in¬ 
fant  class  the  girls  are  taught  the  letters  of  the  alphabet  by  means 
of  tamarine  seeds.  "Flu'y  each  have  a  board  on  which  the  teacher 


—  32  — 


draws  two  or  throe  letters  which  the  childivii  follow  up  with  seeds, 
tiuter  they  can  make  them  by  memory.  Thus  they  learn  hy  and 
hy  to  learn  and  read  the  letters  of  the  alphabet,  tifty-three  in  nnm- 
her.  One  ])eculiar  method  of  teachijig  is  to  have  the  children  leai'ii 
each  letter  in  connection  with  some  well  known  thing,  for  instance, 
for  the  letter  K,  they  learn  Kapra,  which  means  clothes,  and  for  0, 
(lay,  which  is  the  Hindi  word  for  cow. 

After  learning  all  the  letters  thoroly,  which  generally  takes 
a  year,  they  are  promoted  to  the  first  class,  and  school  life  begins 
in  earnest.  All  the  girls  ai'e  taught  many  ])retty  songs,  both  Indian 
and  American,  and  they  learn  to  sing  the  Western  tunes  (piite  well. 
In  the  higher  classes  they  are  brought  (piite  far.  being  taught  about 


Untainted  Girls  of  Leper  Parents 


the  same  subjects  as  in  the  grammar  schools  at  home.  For  a  girl 
with  a  sixth  class  certificate,  a  place  is  always  open  as  a  teaeluu-  in 
a  firiniary  school.  After  passing  tlu'  sixth  class,  souu‘  of  the 
hi’ighter  girls  are  sent  to  normal  school,  and  thus  hivome  bettor 
e(pii])ped  teachei’s.  A  great  numhm-  of  the  girls  of  our  Home  are 
now  employed  as  teachers,  or  ai'c*  the  wivi's  of  catechists  and  teaeh- 
(‘rs.  Some  are  laboring  for  t!ie  Ford  as  Itihle  women. 

'Idle  first  half  hour  each  day  is  devoted  to  religious  instruction 
in  each  class  of  the  school.  'lAvice  a  week  the  girls  are  taught  sew¬ 
ing  and  fancy  work.  They  learn  the  difl'erent  kinds  of  mending, 
sewing  jilain  garments  by  hand,  knitting,  crocheting,  and  drawn- 
thread  work,  ddie  latter  they  do  especially  well.  At  9:d()  A.  M. 
they  have  recess  and  go  home  to  eat  ha.^i,  food  left  over  from  tin* 
evening  meal,  after  which  they  return  to  .school  until  twelve  o'clock. 

—  ;5:5  — 


'riuMi  they  eat  their  midday  ineal,  whieh  is  eooked  hy  one  of  the 
larger  girls.  There  is  always  a  large  ])ot  of  rice,  and  either  dal,  a 
kind  of  dried  i)ea,  or  vegetahles.  Once  a  month  they  liave  a  meal 
consisting  of  rice  and  meat  cnrrv.  The  food  is  alvvavs  cooked  very 
tasty,  hut  a  trifle  too  hot  for  American  palates. 

From  two  to  four  F.  M.  the  girls  study  their  lessons  for  tlu' 
lu'xt  day.  After  this  they  are  free  to  play,  read,  or  tidy  up  their 
home,  ddiey  take  turns  at  the  latter,  and  also  at  cooking  the  food. 
'I'hey  lik(‘  to  gather  together  and  sing  songs  or  [)lay  games,  both 
Indian  and  .Vmerican.  Behind  the  doimiitory  is  a  small  gardim 
ill  which  the  girls  raise  their  vegetables.  At  sundown  the  ladl  is 
lu'ard  for  evening  services  in  the  mission  church  across  the  way, 
where  they  attend  r('gul;irly  every  evening.  After  prayers,  they  cal 
th'dr  evening  meal,  and  then  are  soon  off  to  slumherland,  dreaming 
of  things  to  come  in  the  future  which  woidd  he  a  blighted  one  hut 
for  the  1()V(“  of  (’hristiaii  people'  across  the  sea,  who  have  made'  pi>s- 
sihlc  the'  (ie'itrudc  Home  feir  (Jirls. 

'I’lieise'  e've'ning  hells  just  nu'.nt ieiiu'd.  soon  will  ring,  and  we* 
have'  still  to  visit  the'  heiys  in  fheii'  heeme.  W’e'  walk  aleing  the'  roael 
in  eirde'r  tei  re'ach  it.  It  is  enu'  of  the  latest  huilelings  eif  the  asylum, 
completed  in  Ihl.-).  ()ne'  e'lid  of  the'  lai'ge  enclosure'  is  fennu'd  ley 

the;  large'  deirmitory.  'I'lic  fremt  wall  of  this  huihling  is  built  up 
only  thre'e'  fe'e't,  and  a  spae-e  aheive'  left  cntii'e'ly  eipen  to  give'  the' 
heiys  ple'iity  of  air  ail  the  year  arenind.  At  enie'  e'liel  the  reienn  is  I’e'- 
se'rve'd  for  the'  sie-k,  whie-h  feei'tunately  is  seleleim  use'el.  In  one  e-or- 
ner  eif  the'  e-ompeiiinel  is  feiund  the  home  for  the'  heiusefather,  a  peist 
assigiu'el  te)  eine  eif  the'  tcae-hei's,  in  another  e-eirnyr  is  the  kile-hen. 
We  are'  soein  e-emvine-e'd  that  happiness  reigjis  in  this  heime  as  well 
as  among  the  girls.  Seinu'  eef  the'  large'r  heivs  are  returning  from 
weirk  in  the  garelen,  locateel  just  behind  the  heime.  .\nother  gre)up 
e)f  heys  is  playijig  loeithall  eiutsiele  wjth  the  village  heiys,  while'  the' 
snndler  one's  are'  amusing  themselves  in  their  eiwn  ways. 

'The  elaily  reiutine'  lor  the  heiys  is  very  similar  tei  that  eef  thei 
girls'  home.  'riu'V  attenel  the  vernacnlar  mielelle  se-heie)!  eif  the  vil¬ 
lage'.  'I'lieise  who  pass  with  credit  are  helpeel  fee  enter  the  mission 
t heole)gical  scheieil  or  the  (le)vernemnt  neirmal  sclioe)!  in  Baij)ur. 
Seenu'  of  the'  he'st  evangelists  anel  teae-lu'rs  in  the  missieen  are'  the' 
rese-ueel  seins  eif  le'pers.  Xe)f  all  the  beys,  howeve'r,  are'  fit  feir  or 
have  a  elesiiv  feir  sue-h  a  peesitieen.  Some  hee-eime  farnu'rs,  eer  car- 
pe'iiters,  e>r  aeleept  some  either  [ireifession.  Semu'  eif  the  masems  and 
e-arpenteis  at  weirk  at  the'  huihling  eiperatiems  cemstantly  going  em 
in  the  asylum  eir  in  the  missiem  aiv  former  heys  of  this  hemie.  Af- 
te'i-  tlu'v  have'  jiasseel  thru  the  schoeil  or  have  taken  u[)  a  preifessiem. 
the  yening  nu'n  usually  marry  girls  from  the  (u'rtrude  Home.  Many 


—  :U  — 


rliristiciii  lionies  have  thus  been  founded,  and  there  is  no  case  on 
rectord  in  wliich  the  ehildj'eii  of  such  marriages  have  developed  lej)- 
rosy.  What  would  have  been  the  lot  of  these  young  people,  had 
they  remained  with  their  leper  parents  and  not  come  under  Chris¬ 
tian  care!  Are  not  these  Christian  homes  a  t(‘stiiuony  to  the  sa\- 
iiig  power  of  Christ? 

But  there  go  the  church  hells,  and  the  hoys  arc'  already  form¬ 
ing  in  line  to  walk  over  to  the  village  church.  We  follow  after 
them  and  soon  see  the  girls  approaching  from  the  opposite  direc¬ 
tion.  The  ijiterior  of  the  village  church  is  just  as  plain  as  that  iii 
the  asylum,  wdth  the  exception  that  benches  are  provided  for  the 
congregation.  Besides  the  untaintc'd  hoys  and  girls,  some  of  the 
mission  emphjyc'es  with  their  fainilic's  and  a  iiuiuIk'I'  of  Christians 
from  the  village  come  to  the  evening  ser\ice.  After  a  song,  the 
missionary  rc'ads  the  scripture  les.'^oii,  gives  a  short  c'xptanation  of 
the  same,  and  then  offers  prayei'.  'As  the  service  is  conducted  in 
Hindi,  we  iindc'rstand  nothing  of  it,  but  the  close  attention  given 
by  everyone  and  the  atmosphere'  of  reverence  prevailing  leads  us 
naturally  to  worshi[)  with  our  Indian  brethren.  At  the  close  of  tlu' 
service  we  rc'cognize  the  doxology  and  join  in  singing  a  heartfelt: 
Brai.se  (iod  from  whom  all  blessings  How,  Praise  Mini  all  peoples 
here  below',  Praise  Him  above  ye  heavenly  host,  Prai.se  Father, 
Son  and  Holy  Chost. 

Conclusion 

.Vs  we  ])ass  out  of  church,  the  Indian  twilight  has  given  way 
to  darkness,  and  every  one  seeks  his  home.  We  also  follow  our  host 
to  his  home  and  partake  of  a  simple  evening  repast.  As  it  is  too 
hot  in  the  house,  we  spend  the  rest  of  the  evening  sitting  out  in 
front  of  the  bungalow  in  easy  wicker  chairs,  conversing  with  tlu' 
missionary  folks.  The  many  impressions  received  this  day,  how- 
t'ver,  have  made  us  very  tired,  so  that  we  are  soon  ready  to  retire'. 
Our  host  shows  us  where  we  are  to  re.st,  and  here*  w,e  are  due  to 
(‘iid  the  day  with  another  unusual  experience.  Oui-  l)eds  have  been 
prepared  for  us  out  in  the  open  air  oh  one  side  of  the  bungalow.  As 
we  remember  tlu*  stiHingheat  we  learn  to  be  vei'V  thaid<ful  for  this 
Indian  custom. 

As  we  lie  gazing  up  into  the  clear  starlit  sky  over  us,  our  mind 
reviews  the  many  experiences  of  the  day.  We  have  seen  the  honu' 
III  which  misery  is  changed  int(»  content,  where  little  children  an- 
saved  from  a  horrible  future,  where  the  poorest  despised  outcast 
is  led  to  Him  who  gives  peace  to  the  soul  and  hope  for  the  future. 
How  much  good  has  been  done  in  that  institution  just  across  tie' 
road  from  where  we  are  .sleeping! 


It  is  exactly  twenty-live  years  since  the  asylum  has  been 
founded.  During  these  years  more  than  3,500  lepers  have  found  a 
haven  of  refuge  there.  How  much  suffering  has  been  relieved,  how 
many  tearful  faces  have  been  changed  to  happy  ones!  Most  of 
those  unfortunate  ones  have  passed  away  and  now  lie  abreast  in  tiu' 
cemetery  beyond  the  asylum,  waiting  for  the  glorious  day  of  resur¬ 
rection.  Their  bodily  disease  could  not  be  cured,  but  most  of  them 
have  come  to  know  Him  who  cleanseth  the  soul  from  the  leprosy  of 
sin.  Statistics  show  that  over  1,500  lepers  have  accepted  (Mirist 
and  were  baptized  in  Chandkuri.  Over  300  children  were  rescued 
from  the  worst  of  bodily  diseases,  and  given  an  opportunity  to  be¬ 
come  useful  Christian  characters. 

What  better  investment  could  be  made  than  heli)ing  the  work 
of  such  an  asylum?  Where  would  money  bring  greater  returns  in 
contentment,  joy  and  happiness,  more  spiritual  returns  of  faitli. 
love  and  hope?  Only  live  hundred  dollars  are  necessary  to  l)uihi 
a  honu>  for  twelve  leper  women,  and  one  thousand  dollars  will  erect 
a  slu'lter  where  twenty-four  leper  men  can  find  a  refuge.  Should 
not  thousands  of  (liristians  be  found  ready  to  give,  out  of  thank¬ 
fulness  for  being  spared  a  similar  sad  lot,  twenty-five  dollars  |,)ei' 
year  to  support  one  of  the  lepers  or  one  of  the  untainted  hoys  or 
girls  ? 

As  we  close  oui’  eyes  to  rest,  we  determine  henceforth  to  do  all 
we  can  to  help  this  noble  work  and  to  win  for  it  many  friends,  so 
that  with  its  mission  of  loving  service  it  rnay  always  reach  greater 
nundjers  of  these  })oorest  of  the  poor.  We  close  the  day  with 
prayer:  “Lord,  strengthen  th}^  ministers  engaged  in  this  noble  ser¬ 
vice.  0  Christ,  'I’hou  who.  hast  died  for  every  sinner,  permit  Thy¬ 
self  to  be  found  by  these  unfortunate  ones  who  have  experienced  S(> 
iiiiich  misery.  0  Father  above,  awaken  in  the  hearts  of  Thy  chil- 
ilren  all  over  the  world  a  true  brotherly  love,  that  may  reach  out  to 
succor  many  more  of  these  their  brethren,  living  in  greatest  misery 
across  the  ocean.”  .And  as  we  breathe  this  pra3'er,  a  voice  seems  to 
amswer  withTii  us:  Inasimich  as  ije  have  done  if  unlo  one  of  the 
leasf  of  these  .1///  hreihreti,  ije  have  done  if  unlo  Me. 


:Ui 


* 


> 

V, 


Evangelical  Foreign  Mission  Board 

PAUL  A.  MENZEL,  General  Secretary 


2951  Tilden  Street,  N.  W.  Washington,  D.  C. 


The  Foreign  Mission  Board  will  be  glad  to  furnish  you  with: 


Booklets 

A  Visit  to  Chhattisgarh,  Lohans _ 10c  each — $3.00  per  100 

HISTORICAL  SERIES — 


No.  1 — God’s  Hand  in  the  Beginning  of  the  Work 


_ r _ 10c  each — $1.00  per 

No.  2 — The  Rev.  John  Frank, 

“He  maketh  all  things  well” _ 10c  each — $1.00  per 

No.  3 — Daud  Ekka _ 10c  each — $1.00  per 

Loosing  the  Chains,  E.  Kettler _  5c  each — $3.00  per 

Who’s  Who  _ 20c  each — $1.50  per 

No.  5 — A  Visit  to  the  Leper  Asylum _ 15c  each — $1.00  per 


20 

20 

20 

100 

10 

10 


Folders 

The  Crying  Need _ $1.00  per  100 

Dalpat,  Biographical  Sketch _ $1.25  per  100 

Trimbaksh  Rao,  Biographical  Sketch _ $1.50  per  100 

Do  You  Know  This  About  India, 

(Song,  India  for  Jesus) _ $  .75  per  100 

Card-leaflets 


Our  Field _ $  .50  per  100 

Evangelistic  Influences _ $  .50  per  100 

Program  of  Intercession  (Prayer  Cord) _ Free 

What  $1  Will  Do  in  India _ $  .30  per  100 

Why?  —  Warum?  _ $  .35  per  100 

India — Important  Facts _ $  .50  per  100 


Leaflets 

“COME  WITH  ME”  SERIES — 

No.  1 — A.  Day  with  the  Zenana  Missionary 

_  2c  each — $1.50  per  100 


Postcards 

Scenes,  groups  of  workers,  missionaries,  etc. 

_  3  for  5c — $  .85  per  100 

In  German 

Festschrift _ 25c  each — dozen  or  more  20c  each 

HISTORICAL  SERIES— 

No.  3 - Daud  Ekka _ 10c  each — $1.00  per  20 

No.  4 - Frauenarbeit  an  Frauen  in  Chhattisgarh, 

O.  Nussmann _ 15c  each — $1.00  per  100 

No.  5 — Ein  Besuch  im  Aussaetzigenasyl  von 

Chandkuri _  15c  each — $1.00  per  10 

Ira  Indischen  Urwald _  5c  each — $2.00  per  100 


Manbai _ $1.50  per  100 

Ein  Dollar  richtet  in  Indian  Folgendes  aus _ $  .30  per  100 


